Shloka 25
अस्त्रयुद्धे द्रौणिपार्थसंघर्षः — Karṇa’s Bhārgavāstra and the Search for Yudhiṣṭhira
Chapter 45
तेषां पदातिनागानां पादरक्षा: सहस्रश: । पट्टिशासिधरा: शूरा बभूवुरनिवर्तिन:,पट्टिश और खड्ग धारण किये तथा युद्धसे कभी पीछे न हटनेवाले सहस्रों शूर सैनिक उन पैदलों एवं हाथियोंके पादरक्षक थे
teṣāṁ padātināgānāṁ pādarākṣāḥ sahasraśaḥ | paṭṭiśāsidharāḥ śūrā babhūvur anivartinaḥ ||
ആ പദാതിസേനക്കും ആനകൾക്കും ആയിരങ്ങളായ പാദരക്ഷകർ ഉണ്ടായിരുന്നു—പട്ടിശവും വാളും ധരിച്ച ശൂരന്മാർ; യുദ്ധത്തിൽ ഒരിക്കലും പിൻമാറാത്തവർ.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the kṣatriya ideal of steadfastness (anivartitva)—not retreating from a righteous battle—and shows how discipline and assigned protection are integral to warfare. Courage is presented not as recklessness but as organized, duty-bound resolve.
Sañjaya describes the battlefield arrangement: thousands of brave soldiers armed with spears and swords are stationed as protective guards for the infantry and war-elephants, specifically serving as ‘foot-guards’ to defend vulnerable points and maintain the formation.