Shloka 43
Rajo-dhūli-saṃmūḍha-saṅgrāmaḥ
The Dust-Obscured Battle and Mutual Charges
उत्सृज्य समरे राजन् पाण्डवं सव्यसाचिनम् । अभ्यद्रवत पाज्चाल्यं द्रुपदं सेनया वृतम्
utsṛjya samare rājan pāṇḍavaṁ savyasācinam | abhyadravat pāñcālyaṁ drupadaṁ senayā vṛtam ||
Sañjaya berkata: Wahai Raja, di medan perang dia meninggalkan Arjuna sang Pāṇḍava, pemanah yang mahir dengan kedua-dua tangan, lalu menyerbu ke arah Drupada dari Pañcāla yang dikelilingi oleh bala tenteranya.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores how, in war, choices are often strategic rather than purely personal: a fighter may disengage from a famed opponent and instead move against a protected leader. It invites reflection on kṣatriya-dharma—courage and effectiveness in battle—while also exposing the ethical strain of directing violence toward kings and command structures.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the combatant (implied from context) stops pressing Arjuna and instead charges toward Drupada, the Pāñcāla king, even though Drupada is ringed by his troops—signaling a deliberate shift of attack to another key figure on the battlefield.