Shloka 45
Bhagadatta’s Advance, the Saṃśaptaka Challenge, and Arjuna’s Counterstrike (द्रोणपर्व, अध्याय २६)
स तु लब्ध्वान्तरं नागस्त्वरितो रथमण्डलात्
sa tu labdhvāntaraṃ nāgas tvarito rathamaṇḍalāt
सञ्जय उवाच—स तु लब्ध्वान्तरं नागस्त्वरितो रथमण्डलात् निर्गत्य प्रहरणाय समुपचक्रमे॥
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights battlefield vigilance and timely action: recognizing a brief opening (antaram) and acting decisively. Ethically, it reflects the kṣatriya ideal of alertness and competence in war, where success often depends on seizing the right moment without hesitation.
Sañjaya reports that a powerful fighter—likened to an elephant (nāgaḥ)—spots a gap in the enemy’s chariot-ring (rathamaṇḍala) and quickly breaks out or moves through it, indicating a tactical shift amid a dense chariot engagement.