Shloka 17
Chapter 12: Arjuna’s suppression of the Saṃśaptakas and duel with Aśvatthāmā
Drauṇi
समानमृत्यवो राजन् नात्यजन्त परस्परम्
saṃjaya uvāca | samāna-mṛtyavo rājan nātyajanta parasparam | athānye dhanuṣī citre pragṛhya ca mahāśarān | sātyakiṃ chādayantau tau ceratur laghu suṣṭhu ca ||
Sañjaya berkata: Wahai Raja, mereka seia sekata dalam tekad menyongsong maut, maka mereka tidak meninggalkan satu sama lain. Kemudian dua yang lain, menggenggam busur-busur yang indah dan anak panah yang besar, bergerak pantas dan cekap ke segala arah sambil menutupi Sātyaki dengan hujan tembakan mereka.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights battlefield ethics of loyalty and steadfastness: warriors who accept the possibility of death do not desert their companions, and protection of an ally (here Sātyaki) is treated as a duty even under mortal risk.
Sanjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that certain fighters remained inseparable, equally prepared to die. Then two warriors, armed with splendid bows and powerful arrows, moved swiftly around the field, providing covering fire and shielding Sātyaki as they maneuvered.