Shloka 24
Dhṛtarāṣṭra–Sañjaya-saṃvādaḥ; madhyāhna-saṅgrāma-pravṛttiḥ
Dhritarashtra–Sanjaya dialogue and the midday battle escalation
हतं तमात्मजं दृष्टवा विराट: प्राद्रवद् भयात् । उत्सृज्य समरे द्रोणं व्यात्ताननमिवान्तकम्,अपने पुत्रको मारा गया देख मुँह बाये हुए कालके समान भयंकर द्रोणाचार्यको समरभूमिमें छोड़कर विराट भयके मारे भाग गये
sañjaya uvāca | hataṃ tam ātmajaṃ dṛṣṭvā virāṭaḥ prādravad bhayāt | utsṛjya samare droṇaṃ vyāttānanaṃ ivāntakam |
ತನ್ನ ಮಗನು ಹತನಾದುದನ್ನು ಕಂಡು ವಿರಾಟನು ಭಯದಿಂದ ಓಡಿಹೋದನು; ಸಮರದಲ್ಲಿ ಬಾಯಿ ತೆರೆದ ಮರಣದಂತೆ ಭಯಂಕರನಾದ ದ್ರೋಣಾಚಾರ್ಯನನ್ನು ಬಿಟ್ಟು ಪಲಾಯನ ಮಾಡಿದನು.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a moral-psychological truth: intense grief and fear can overwhelm even a king’s battlefield composure, causing a lapse from expected kṣatriya steadiness. It implicitly contrasts dharma-based courage with panic-driven flight.
After Virāṭa sees his son has been killed, he becomes terrified and flees the battlefield, leaving Droṇa behind—who is depicted as fearsome, like Death with a gaping mouth.