Droṇa–Dhṛṣṭadyumna-yuddha (द्रोण-धृष्टद्युम्न-युद्धम्) — Tactical duel and allied interventions
दुर्मुख: सहदेवं च प्रत्युद्याय महाबलम् । विव्याध शरवर्षेण यतमानं महाहवे
sañjaya uvāca | durmukhaḥ sahadevaṃ ca pratyudyāya mahābalam | vivyādha śaravarṣeṇa yatamānaṃ mahāhave ||
Sañjaya disse: Durmukha avançou para enfrentar o poderoso Sahadeva e, na grande batalha, enquanto Sahadeva se esforçava intensamente pela vitória, feriu-o com uma chuva de flechas.
संजय उवाच
The verse highlights the harsh reciprocity of battlefield duty: even sincere striving for victory meets forceful resistance. It reflects the Mahabharata’s ethical tension—personal valor and effort operate within a destructive war where outcomes are shaped by opposing dharmic commitments and martial skill.
Sanjaya reports that Durmukha advances against Sahadeva and wounds him by releasing a dense shower of arrows while Sahadeva is actively striving in the great battle.