Shloka 15
Chapter 12: Arjuna’s suppression of the Saṃśaptakas and duel with Aśvatthāmā
Drauṇi
वृता व्यूहेन महता पाण्ड्याश्नोला: सकेरला: । धृष्टद्युम्न, शिखण्डी, द्रौपदीके पुत्र, प्रभद्रक, सात्यकि, चेकितान, द्राविड सैनिकोंसहित महान् व्यूहसे घिरे हुए पाण्डय, चोल तथा केरल योद्धाओंने धावा किया ।।
sañjaya uvāca |
vṛtā vyūhena mahatā pāṇḍyāś ca colāḥ sakeralāḥ |
dhṛṣṭadyumnaḥ śikhaṇḍī draupadeyāḥ prabhadrakāḥ |
sātyakiś cekitāno drāviḍaiḥ sainikaiḥ saha |
mahāvyūhena parivṛtāḥ pāṇḍya-cola-keralāḥ samare prādravan ||
vyūḍhoraskā dīrghabhujāḥ prāṃśavaḥ pṛthulocanāḥ |
vāryamāṇau tataḥ tau hi śaineya-śaravṛṣṭibhiḥ |
śaineyasya rathaṃ tūrṇaṃ chādayām āsatuḥ śaraiḥ ||
Sañjaya berkata: Dikepung oleh suatu formasi perang yang besar, para pahlawan Pāṇḍya, Cola dan Kerala—bersama Dhṛṣṭadyumna, Śikhaṇḍī, putera-putera Draupadī, pasukan Prabhadraka, Sātyaki, Cekitāna dan tentera Dravida—menerpa masuk ke kancah. Lalu dua pejuang bangsawan, berdada bidang, berlengan panjang, bertubuh tinggi dan bermata besar, meskipun ditahan oleh hujan panah Śaineya (Sātyaki), segera menutupi kereta perang Śaineya dengan anak panah mereka sendiri.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights the kṣatriya ethos in wartime: duty is pursued through coordinated formations and steadfast effort even under resistance. It also implicitly warns how collective resolve and tactical skill can intensify conflict, making restraint difficult once battle momentum builds.
A large Pāṇḍava-aligned force—southern contingents and key commanders—charges while enclosed within a major formation. Two princely warriors, though impeded by Sātyaki’s arrow-showers, retaliate by rapidly blanketing Sātyaki’s chariot with arrows.