धृष्टद्युम्नस्य द्रोणरथारोহণं सात्यकेः प्रतिरक्षणं च | Dhrishtadyumna Boards Droṇa’s Chariot; Sātyaki’s Counter-Protection
सर्वेषामेष वै पन्था: शूराणामनिवर्तिनाम् । क्षत्रियाणां विशेषेण येषां युद्धेन जीविका,'युद्धमें पीठ न दिखानेवाले सभी शूरवीरोंका यही मार्ग है। विशेषतः उन क्षत्रियोंको, जिनकी युद्धसे जीविका चलती है, इस मार्गसे जाना ही पड़ता है
sarveṣām eṣa vai panthāḥ śūrāṇām anivartinām | kṣatriyāṇāṁ viśeṣeṇa yeṣāṁ yuddhena jīvikā ||
ਜੋ ਸੂਰਮੇ ਜੰਗ ਵਿੱਚ ਪਿੱਠ ਨਹੀਂ ਦਿਖਾਉਂਦੇ, ਉਹਨਾਂ ਸਭ ਲਈ ਇਹੀ ਰਾਹ ਹੈ। ਖ਼ਾਸ ਕਰਕੇ ਉਹਨਾਂ ਖ਼ਤਰੀਆਂ ਲਈ, ਜਿਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਦੀ ਰੋਜ਼ੀ-ਰੋਟੀ ਜੰਗ ਨਾਲ ਚੱਲਦੀ ਹੈ—ਉਹਨਾਂ ਲਈ ਇਸੇ ਰਾਹੇ ਤੁਰਨਾ ਅਟੱਲ ਹੈ।
संजय उवाच
The verse frames steadfastness in battle as a normative duty: for unretreating heroes—especially kṣatriyas—warfare is presented as an obligatory life-path tied to social role (svadharma) and livelihood, making withdrawal from combat ethically disallowed within that code.
Sañjaya, narrating the battlefield events to Dhṛtarāṣṭra, comments on the warrior code: he explains that for brave, non-retreating fighters—particularly kṣatriyas—pressing forward in battle is the expected course, implicitly justifying the continued ferocity of the conflict.