Shloka 44
Adhyāya 104 — Śikhaṇḍin-puraskāraḥ (Śikhaṇḍin as Vanguard) and Bhīṣma’s Counter-Advance
समुत्सृज्याथ शैनेयो गौतमं रथिनां वर: । अभ्यद्रवद् रणे द्रौणिं राहु: खे शशिनं यथा,तब रथियोंमें श्रेष्ठ सात्यकिने कृपाचार्यको छोड़कर जैसे आकाशभमें राहु चन्द्रमापर आक्रमण करता है, उसी प्रकार युद्धस्थलमें अश्वत्थामापर धावा किया
samutsṛjyātha śaineyo gautamaṁ rathināṁ varaḥ | abhyadravad raṇe drauṇiṁ rāhuḥ khe śaśinaṁ yathā ||
Sañjaya berkata: Kemudian Śaineya (Sātyaki), yang terunggul antara para pahlawan kereta, meninggalkan Gautama (Kṛpa) dan menyerbu Drauṇi (Aśvatthāmā) di medan perang, bagaikan Rāhu di langit menerkam bulan.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores how, in the moral and strategic pressure of war, a warrior may disengage from one opponent to confront a more urgent danger; the Rahu–moon simile conveys the overwhelming, sudden force of such an assault, reminding readers that battlefield choices are driven by perceived necessity and escalating threat.
Sātyaki, described as the best among chariot-fighters, stops engaging Kṛpa and instead rushes directly at Aśvatthāmā on the battlefield, likened to Rāhu’s attack on the moon during an eclipse.