Shloka 24
धृष्टद्युम्नो महाराज द्रौणिमभ्यद्रवद् रणे । महाराज! शूरवीर पांचालों और सोमकोंको भागते देख धूष्टद्युम्नने रणक्षेत्रमें अश्व॒त्थामापर धावा किया ।। ततः काञ्चनचित्राणां सजलाम्बुदनादिनाम्
sañjaya uvāca | dhṛṣṭadyumno mahārāja drauṇim abhyadravad raṇe | mahārāja! śūravīra pāñcālān somakāṁś ca bhāgato dṛṣṭvā dhṛṣṭadyumno raṇakṣetre ’śvatthāmānam upari dhāvāṁ cakāra || tataḥ kāñcanacitrāṇāṁ sajalāmbudanādinām … |
Sanjaya berkata: Wahai Raja, di tengah-tengah pertempuran Dhṛṣṭadyumna mara terus menyerbu putera Droṇa (Aśvatthāman). Melihat para pahlawan Pāñcāla dan Somaka berundur lari, Dhṛṣṭadyumna pun meluru ke atas Aśvatthāman di medan perang. Lalu—di tengah kelengkapan perang berhias emas yang berkilau dan deru yang dalam bagaikan guruh awan sarat hujan…
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights kṣatriya leadership under crisis: when allied troops break and flee, a commander is expected to restore morale through personal courage and decisive action. Ethically, it shows how duty (protecting one’s side) can demand immediate, risky engagement even amid fear and disorder.
Sanjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Dhṛṣṭadyumna, seeing the Pāñcālas and Somakas running, charges directly at Aśvatthāman (Droṇa’s son) on the battlefield. The next line begins to describe the ensuing clash with imagery of gold-adorned arms and thunder-like battle-noise.