Shloka 33
Adhyāya 78 — Bhīṣma’s Advance, Duryodhana’s Rally, and Concurrent Duels (भीष्मस्याभ्युद्यमः, दुर्योधनस्योत्साहवचनम्, विविधयुद्धवर्णनम्)
ते वध्यमाना द्रोणेन भीष्मेण च नरोत्तमा: । सृञ्जया: केकयै: सार्थ पलायनपरा5भवन्,वे नरश्रेष्ठ सृंजय और केकय द्रोणाचार्य तथा भीष्मकी मार खाकर रणभूमिसे भागने लगे
te vadhyamānā droṇena bhīṣmeṇa ca narottamāḥ | sṛñjayāḥ kekayaiḥ sārthaṃ palāyanaparābhavan ||
ते नरोत्तमाः द्रोणेन भीष्मेण च वध्यमानाः सृञ्जयाः केकयैः सार्धं पलायनपराभवन्।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the psychological and ethical pressure of war: even celebrated warriors may falter when crushed by superior commanders. It implicitly contrasts the ideal of kṣatriya steadfastness with the human reality of fear and survival-instinct under extreme violence.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the Sṛñjaya and Kekaya forces, heavily struck by Droṇa and Bhīṣma, begin to retreat from the battlefield, indicating a momentary collapse of their battle-line under the Kaurava commanders’ assault.