शिखण्डी तु महेष्वास: सोमकै: संवृतो बली । इरावांश्व॒ ततः पुच्छे मकरस्य व्यवस्थितौ,सोमकोंसे घिरा हुआ महाधनुर्धर शिखण्डी और बलवान इरावान्--ये दोनों उस मकरव्यूहके पुच्छ-भागमें खड़े थे
śikhaṇḍī tu maheṣvāsaḥ somakaiḥ saṃvṛto balī | irāvāṃś ca tataḥ pucche makarasya vyavasthitau ||
សញ្ជ័យបាននិយាយ៖ អ្នកបាញ់ធ្នូដ៏អស្ចារ្យ សិខណ្ឌី ដែលមានពួកសោមកៈព័ទ្ធជុំវិញ និងអ៊ីរាវានដ៏ក្លាហាន—ទាំងពីរនេះបានឈរនៅផ្នែកខាងក្រោយ (ចុងកន្ទុយ) នៃមករាវ្យូហៈ។
संजय उवाच
Even within warfare, dharma expresses itself as disciplined duty: guarding the rear of a formation is as vital as leading the front, because protecting the army’s integrity and preventing collapse are ethical responsibilities of commanders and warriors.
Sañjaya describes the deployment within the Makara-vyūha: Śikhaṇḍī, backed by the Somakas, and the strong Irāvān are assigned to hold the tail/rear segment of the formation, indicating a planned defensive-posting within the larger battle array.