Mahabharata 7.21.23 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 21, Shloka 23
द्रोणविक्रमदर्शनम् / The Display of Droṇa’s Onslaught and the Debate on Pāṇḍava Regrouping
उस महाबली महारथी पांचाल वीरके मारे जानेपर युधिष्ठिर द्रोणाचार्यसे अत्यन्त भयभीत हो गये और वेगशाली घोड़ोंसे जुते हुए रथके द्वारा युद्धस्थलसे दूर चले गये ।।
sañjaya uvāca |
tasmin mahābali-mahārathe pāñcāla-vīre hate yudhiṣṭhiro droṇācāryād atyanta-bhayabhīto 'bhavat, vegavaddhir aśvair yuktena rathena ca raṇabhūmim apakrāntavān dūram ||
pāñcālāḥ kekayā matsyāś cedi-kārūṣa-kośalāḥ |
yudhiṣṭhiram abhīpsanto dṛṣṭvā droṇam upādravan ||
संजय म्हणाला—तो महाबली महारथी पाञ्चालवीर मारला गेल्यावर युधिष्ठिर द्रोणाचार्यांपासून अत्यंत भयभीत झाला आणि वेगवान घोड्यांनी जोडलेल्या रथाने रणभूमीपासून दूर निघून गेला। तेव्हा युधिष्ठिराचे रक्षण करण्याच्या हेतूने पाञ्चाल, केकय, मत्स्य, चेदि, कारूष आणि कोसल देशांचे योद्धे द्रोणाचार्यांना पाहताच त्यांच्यावर तुटून पडले।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights the ethical tension of kingship in war: even a righteous ruler like Yudhiṣṭhira can be shaken by fear when confronted with overwhelming force, yet the duty of allied warriors is to uphold protection and solidarity, placing the safety of the leader and the cause above personal risk.
After a prominent Pāñcāla chariot-hero is killed, Yudhiṣṭhira retreats from the battlefield out of fear of Droṇa. Seeing Droṇa and intent on safeguarding Yudhiṣṭhira, multiple allied contingents—Pāñcālas, Kekayas, Matsyas, Cedis, Kārūṣas, and Kośalas—charge at Droṇa.
Ask anything about this verse
Curious about the meaning, context, or a word? Ask, and continue the conversation in the Vedapath app.
A free Google sign-in keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Mahabharata in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with audio, word-by-word meanings, and more.