Shloka 13

Aśvatthāmā’s Lamentation, Vow of Retaliation, and the Manifestation of the Nārāyaṇāstra (द्रोणपर्व, अध्याय १६६)

Devanagari script

के<रक्षन्‌ दक्षिणं चक्रं के च द्रोणस्य सव्यत:,कौन-कौन-से योद्धा द्रोणाचार्यके रथके दाहिने पहियेकी रक्षा करते थे और कौन-कौन- से बायें पहियेकी? कौन-कौन-से वीर वीरोंका वध करनेवाले द्रोणाचार्यके पृष्ठभागके रक्षक थे और रणमें शत्रुसैनिकोंका संहार करनेवाले कौन-कौन-से योद्धा आचार्यके आगे-आगे चलते थे?

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | ke rakṣan dakṣiṇaṃ cakraṃ ke ca droṇasya savyataḥ | ke ke vīrā vīra-hantāro droṇasya pṛṣṭha-rakṣiṇaḥ | ke ca śatru-gaṇaṃ hatvā purastād ācāryam anvayuḥ ||

Translation

ଦ୍ରୋଣାଚାର୍ଯ୍ୟଙ୍କ ରଥର ଦକ୍ଷିଣ ଚକ୍ରକୁ କେଉଁମାନେ ରକ୍ଷା କରୁଥିଲେ, ଏବଂ ବାମ ଚକ୍ରକୁ କେଉଁମାନେ? ରଣରେ ଦ୍ରୋଣଙ୍କ ରଥର ପୃଷ୍ଠଭାଗକୁ କେଉଁ ବୀର—ବୀରହନ୍ତା—ସୁରକ୍ଷିତ ରଖୁଥିଲେ? ଏବଂ ଶତ୍ରୁସେନାକୁ ସଂହାର କରି ଆଚାର୍ଯ୍ୟଙ୍କ ଆଗରେ ଆଗରେ ଅଗ୍ରଦଳ ହୋଇ କେଉଁ ଯୋଦ୍ଧାମାନେ ଚାଲୁଥିଲେ?

Word by Word

• के: who (which persons)
• के: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• रक्षन्: protecting
• रक्षन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष्
• Form: Present active participle (Parasmaipada), Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• दक्षिणम्: right (side)
• दक्षिणम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिण
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• चक्रम्: wheel
• चक्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• के: who
• के: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• द्रोणस्य: of Droṇa
• द्रोणस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रोण
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• सव्यतः: on the left side
• सव्यतः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सव्य
• Form: Ablative used adverbially

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Droṇa (Droṇācārya)
• chariot wheel (cakra)
• right side (dakṣiṇa)
• left side (savya)
• rear-guard (pṛṣṭha-rakṣiṇaḥ)
• vanguard/front (purastāt)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights battlefield dharma as disciplined protection of a commander: assigning guards to vulnerable points (wheels/flanks), maintaining a rear-guard, and placing a vanguard to clear enemy ranks—showing that valor is inseparable from coordinated responsibility.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes and inquires about the Kaurava battle arrangement around Droṇa: who protected the right and left sides of his chariot, who guarded his rear, and who advanced ahead of him as the forward screen while striking down enemy troops.