Shloka 23
द्रोणपर्व — अध्याय १६२: प्रातःसंध्यायां युद्धप्रवृत्तिः तथा रजोमेघे संमूढता
परित्यज्य रणे दौ्णिं व्यद्रवन्त दिशो दश | समरांगणमें मारे जाते हुए पांचाल और सोमक द्रोणपुत्र अश्वत्थामाको छोड़कर दसों दिशाओंमें भाग गये ।। तान् दृष्टवा द्रवतः शूरान् पज्चालान् सहसोमकान्
sañjaya uvāca | parityajya raṇe drauṇiṁ vyadravanta diśo daśa | tān dṛṣṭvā dravataḥ śūrān pāñcālān saha-somakān |
Sañjaya berkata: Ketika mereka dibunuh di medan perang, orang Pāñcāla dan Somaka—walau gagah—meninggalkan Drauṇi (Aśvatthāmā) di tengah pertempuran lalu melarikan diri ke sepuluh penjuru. Melihat para pahlawan Pāñcāla itu bersama Somaka lari dalam ketakutan…
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how overwhelming violence and terror can break even brave warriors, leading to abandonment of allies and disorder in war. Ethically, it points to the fragility of courage under extreme conditions and the grave social cost when fear overrides duty and solidarity.
Sañjaya reports that the Pāñcāla and Somaka warriors, being slaughtered on the battlefield, abandon Aśvatthāmā (Drauṇi) and scatter in all directions. The next line begins to describe the observer’s reaction upon seeing them flee.