Shloka 98
शुश्रुवुर्नामगोत्राणि वीराणां संयुगे तदा । द्रोणमाद्रवतां राजन् स्वयंवर इवाहवे,राजन! उस समय युद्धस्थलमें ट्रोणाचार्यपर आक्रमण करनेवाले वीरोंके नाम और गोत्र उसी प्रकार सुनायी पड़ते थे, जैसे स्वयंवरमें सुने जाते हैं
śuśruvur nāmagotrāṇi vīrāṇāṃ saṃyuge tadā | droṇam ādravatāṃ rājan svayaṃvara ivāhave ||
Sañjaya berkata: “Wahai Raja, pada waktu itu di medan perang, nama dan keturunan para wira yang menyerbu ke arah Droṇa kedengaran diumumkan—seperti pengumuman dalam upacara svayaṃvara. Di tengah keganasan perang, suasana itu mengambil bentuk rasmi yang ganjil, seolah-olah suatu pertandingan terbuka, ketika identiti dan maruah diseru walaupun nyawa dipertaruhkan.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even amid the chaos of war, the Mahābhārata highlights the Kṣatriya world’s fixation on identity, lineage, and honor: names and gotras are proclaimed as in a formal contest, suggesting that reputation and public recognition accompany (and sometimes drive) violent action.
Sañjaya describes a moment when many warriors charge toward Droṇa on the battlefield. Their names and clan lineages are audibly announced or become widely known, and the scene is likened to a svayaṃvara where contestants are publicly introduced.