Shloka 51
कर्णपर्व — पञ्चदशोऽध्यायः | Karṇa Parva, Chapter 15: Pāṇḍya’s Advance and Aśvatthāmā’s Counterstroke
अथ संशप्तकांस्त्यक्त्वा पाण्डवो द्रौणिमभ्ययात् अपाड्क्तेयानिव त्यक्त्वा दाता पाडुक्तेयमर्थिनम्
atha saṁśaptakāṁs tyaktvā pāṇḍavo drauṇim abhyayāt | apāṅkteyān iva tyaktvā dātā pāṅkteyam arthinam ||
Sañjaya berkata: Kemudian putera Pāṇḍu (Arjuna), meninggalkan Saṁśaptaka, mara menuju putera Droṇa (Aśvatthāmā). Ia bagaikan seorang penderma yang mengabaikan mereka yang tidak layak duduk dalam saf jamuan suci, lalu berpaling kepada pemohon yang layak—yang menyucikan saf itu.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The simile frames Arjuna’s tactical choice as an ethical discernment: just as a donor should direct gifts toward a worthy recipient rather than the unfit, a warrior may prioritize confronting the more consequential and properly matched opponent. It highlights discrimination (viveka) in action—choosing what is fitting and effective within dharma.
Arjuna disengages from fighting the Saṁśaptakas and moves directly toward Aśvatthāmā (Droṇa’s son), indicating a shift in battlefield focus from a vowed group engagement to a targeted confrontation with a major commander.