Shloka 326
Adhyāya 21 — Duryodhanasya bāṇavarṣaḥ
Duryodhana’s Arrow-Storm and the Dust-Obscured Engagements
जवेनाभ्यपतत् तूर्ण सर्वाश्वैको न्न्यवारयत् । दुर्योधन अपनी सेनाको निकटसे भागती देख बड़े वेगसे शत्रुओंपर टूट पड़ा और उन सबको अकेले ही शीघ्रतापूर्वक रोकने लगा
sañjaya uvāca | javena abhyapatat tūrṇaṁ sarvāśvaiḥ eko nyavārayat |
サンジャヤは言った。「自軍が間近で逃げ散るのを見て、ドゥルヨーダナは猛烈な速さで敵へ突進した。たった一人でありながら、戦車と馬をもって彼らすべてをたちまち押しとどめたのである。この瞬間は、崩れゆく戦列のただ中で、恐慌を鎮め秩序を取り戻そうとする武人王の決意を示している。身の危険を顧みぬ覚悟であった。」
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
In a moment of collective panic, a leader’s duty is to restrain disorder and re-establish steadiness. The verse highlights kṣatriya resolve: facing danger directly to prevent the collapse of one’s forces, even when support is lacking.
Sañjaya reports that Duryodhana, seeing his troops fleeing nearby, charges rapidly toward the opposing side and single-handedly checks them—using his chariot and horses to block, rally, and halt the rout.