Shloka 16
Abhimanyu-śravaṇa-prastāva and Cakravyūha-vinyāsa
Prelude to Abhimanyu’s Account and the Wheel-Formation Deployment
द्रोणेन व्याहते त्वेवे संशप्तकगणा: पुनः । आह्वयन्नर्जुनं संख्ये दक्षिणामभितो दिशम्,द्रोणाचार्यके ऐसा कहनेपर पुनः संशप्तकगणोंने दक्षिण दिशामें जा अर्जुनको युद्धके लिये ललकारा
droṇena vyāhate tv eva saṁśaptakagaṇāḥ punaḥ | āhvayann arjunaṁ saṅkhye dakṣiṇām abhito diśam ||
サンジャヤは言った。「ドローナがそのように戦っているさなか、サンシャプタカの一団は再び戦場でアルジュナに挑み、彼を南の方角へと引き寄せた。これは戦の意図ある策である。すなわち、誓いを立てて執拗に迫る敵勢をもって主力の勇士を挑発し、主戦線から引き離すのである。」
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how warfare tests dharma through strategy and steadfast vows: a vowed enemy-host can be used to divert a key protector, showing that ethical duty in war includes discernment—recognizing when a challenge is also a calculated distraction.
While Droṇa is actively fighting, the Saṁśaptakas again issue a direct battle-challenge to Arjuna and pull him toward the southern side of the field, aiming to separate him from the main engagement and reduce his influence elsewhere.