Shloka 45
Bhagadatta’s Advance, the Saṃśaptaka Challenge, and Arjuna’s Counterstrike (द्रोणपर्व, अध्याय २६)
स तु लब्ध्वान्तरं नागस्त्वरितो रथमण्डलात्
sa tu labdhvāntaraṃ nāgas tvarito rathamaṇḍalāt
サञ्जयは語った。「だがその大勇士は隙を得るや、戦車の輪陣から素早く抜け出た——密集する戦のただ中で、警戒と戦術的決断をもって機をつかんだのである。」
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights battlefield vigilance and timely action: recognizing a brief opening (antaram) and acting decisively. Ethically, it reflects the kṣatriya ideal of alertness and competence in war, where success often depends on seizing the right moment without hesitation.
Sañjaya reports that a powerful fighter—likened to an elephant (nāgaḥ)—spots a gap in the enemy’s chariot-ring (rathamaṇḍala) and quickly breaks out or moves through it, indicating a tactical shift amid a dense chariot engagement.