Shloka 37
भीमसेनस्य कौरवसुतवधः तथा श्रुतर्वावधः
Slaying of Kaurava princes and the fall of Śrutarvā
धृष्टद्युम्नस्तु समरे पराजित्य नराधिपम् | अपक्रान्ते तव सुते हयपृष्ठं समाश्रिते
dhṛṣṭadyumnas tu samare parājitya narādhipam | apakrānte tava sute hayapṛṣṭhaṃ samāśrite, putraḥ pāñcālarājasya jighāṃsuḥ kuñjarān yayau |
Sanjaya berkata: Dalam pertempuran, Dhṛṣṭadyumna, setelah menewaskan semangat raja (Duryodhana) dan melihat putera tuanku berundur, berlindung di atas belakang kuda, maka putera raja Pāñcāla itu—Dhṛṣṭadyumna—yang bertekad membunuh pasukan gajah, segera mara menyerbu bala gajah tersebut.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a battlefield ethic of seizing advantage: when an opposing leader withdraws, the victorious commander intensifies pressure on the enemy’s strongest remaining formation. It also reflects the harsh logic of kṣatriya warfare—resolve and initiative are praised, while retreat shifts the moral and tactical balance toward the opponent.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Dhṛṣṭadyumna has overcome Duryodhana in combat. As Duryodhana retreats mounted on a horse, Dhṛṣṭadyumna, son of the Pāñcāla king, advances with the intent to destroy the Kaurava elephant contingent.