Shloka 57

Devanagari script

ते वध्यमाना: समरे युयुधानेन तावका: । युयुधानरथं त्यक्त्वा द्रोणानीकाय दुद्गरुवु:,समरांगणमें युयुधानकी मार खाते हुए आपके सैनिक उनके रथको छोड़कर द्रोणाचार्यकी सेनाकी ओर भाग गये

Transliteration

te vadhyamānāḥ samare yuyudhānena tāvakāḥ | yuyudhāna-rathaṃ tyaktvā droṇānīkāya dudruvuḥ ||

Translation

ते वध्यमानाः समरे युयुधानेन तावकाः। युयुधानरथं त्यक्त्वा द्रोणानीकाय दुद्रुवुः॥

Word by Word

तेthey (those)

वध्यमानाःbeing slain / being struck down

समरेin battle

युयुधानेनby Yuyudhāna (Sātyaki)

तावकाःyour (men), belonging to you

युयुधान-रथम्Yuyudhāna's chariot

त्यक्त्वाhaving abandoned

द्रोण-अनीकायtowards/for Droṇa's army (battle-array)

दुद्रुवुःran (away) / fled

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Yuyudhāna (Sātyaki)

Kaurava troops (tāvakāḥ)

Droṇa (Droṇācārya)

Yuyudhāna’s chariot

Droṇa’s battle-formation (droṇānīka)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the fragility of battlefield resolve: when confronted by overwhelming force, even disciplined troops may abandon positions and seek safety. Ethically, it points to the tension between kṣatriya ideals of steadfastness and the human impulse to flee when death feels imminent.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Yuyudhāna (Sātyaki) is cutting down the Kaurava soldiers. Under his assault, they leave behind Yuyudhāna’s chariot area and run toward Droṇa’s forces, seeking protection within Droṇa’s battle-array.