Shloka 9
Adhyāya 78 — Bhīṣma’s Advance, Duryodhana’s Rally, and Concurrent Duels (भीष्मस्याभ्युद्यमः, दुर्योधनस्योत्साहवचनम्, विविधयुद्धवर्णनम्)
धृष्टय्युम्नेन सहितो महत्या सेनयावृत: । नरेश्वर! सेनापति विराट विशाल सेनासे घिरकर धृष्टद्युम्नके साथ उस व्यूहके पृष्ठ भागमें खड़े हुए ।।
sañjaya uvāca |
dhṛṣṭadyumnena sahito mahatyā senayāvṛtaḥ |
nareśvara! senāpatiḥ virāṭaḥ viśālena senāghirakara dhṛṣṭadyumnena sārdhaṃ tasya vyūhasya pṛṣṭhabhāge tiṣṭhati ||
kekayā bhrātaraḥ pañca vāmapārśvaṃ samāśritāḥ |
naraśreṣṭhaḥ dhṛṣṭaketuḥ parākramaś ca cekitānaḥ—ete vyūhasya dakṣiṇabhāge sthitvā tasya rakṣāṃ kurvanti ||
Sañjaya berkata: “Wahai Raja, bersama Dhṛṣṭadyumna dan dikelilingi bala tentera yang besar, Virāṭa, panglima dengan angkatan yang luas, berdiri di bahagian belakang formasi itu. Lima bersaudara Kekaya mengambil tempat di sayap kiri. Di sayap kanan, pahlawan unggul Dhṛṣṭaketu dan Cekitāna yang gagah berdiri menjaga serta melindungi susunan perang.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights kṣātra-dharma in practice: disciplined organization, clear assignment of responsibility, and mutual protection within an alliance. Ethical force here is expressed as orderly leadership and guarding one’s assigned position rather than impulsive heroics.
Sañjaya describes the Pāṇḍava-aligned deployment within a vyūha: Virāṭa stands at the rear with Dhṛṣṭadyumna, the five Kekaya princes hold the left flank, and Dhṛṣṭaketu with Cekitāna secure the right flank, collectively protecting the formation.