Shloka 8
गौतमे शकुनौ चापि द्रोणे चास्त्रभृतां वरे । अश्वत्थाम्नि तथा शल्ये शूरे च कृतवर्मणि
gautame śakunau cāpi droṇe cāstrabhṛtāṃ vare | aśvatthāmni tathā śalye śūre ca kṛtavarmaṇi
സഞ്ജയൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ഗൗതമൻ, ശകുനിയും, ആയുധധാരികളിൽ ശ്രേഷ്ഠനായ ദ്രോണനും; അതുപോലെ അശ്വത്ഥാമാവ്, ശല്യൻ, വീരനായ കൃതവർമ്മനും (ഉണ്ടായിരുന്നു)—
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how decisive power in war often concentrates in a few eminent individuals; ethically, it invites reflection on how personal excellence (in arms, counsel, or leadership) can be used either to uphold dharma or to intensify adharma, thereby shaping collective outcomes.
Sañjaya is enumerating prominent Kaurava-side figures—Gautama, Śakuni, Droṇa, Aśvatthāmā, Śalya, and Kṛtavarman—emphasizing their martial stature (especially Droṇa as foremost among weapon-bearers) as part of his report on the forces and key actors in the ongoing battle.