Shloka 12
अब्रवीत क्षत्रियांस्तत्र धर्मराजो युधिष्ठिर: । अभिद्रवत संयत्ता: कुम्भयोनिं महारथा:
abravīt kṣatriyāṁs tatra dharmarājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | abhadravata saṁyattāḥ kumbhayoniṁ mahārathāḥ ||
Sañjaya berkata: Di sana, Raja Yudhiṣṭhira—penegak dharma—berbicara kepada para pahlawan kṣatriya yang berhimpun: “Mara ke hadapan, lengkap bersenjata, serbu Kumbhayoni (Droṇa)!” Demikianlah baginda menggesa para maharatha maju, menjadikan perintah perang itu suatu kewajipan yang terikat pada dharma di tengah tuntutan perang yang keras.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even a ruler famed for dharma must sometimes issue severe commands in war; the verse highlights the kṣatriya obligation to act decisively while keeping the moral weight of such action in view through Yudhiṣṭhira’s epithet ‘Dharmarāja’.
Sañjaya reports that Yudhiṣṭhira addresses the warriors and orders them—fully armed and ready—to charge against Droṇa, here called Kumbhayoni, urging the great chariot-fighters to press the attack.