Shloka 47
Nakula’s Engagement with Citra-sena and Karṇa’s Sons; Śalya Re-stabilizes the Kaurava Host
हयान् डद्विपांस्त्वरयन्तो योधा जग्मु: समन्ततः । आत्मत्राणकृतोत्साहास्तावका भरतर्षभ,भरतश्रेष्ठ! अपनी रक्षामात्रके लिये उत्साह रखनेवाले आपके सैनिक घोड़ों और हाथियोंको तीव्र गतिसे हाँकते हुए सब ओर भाग चले
hayān dantipāṁs tvarayanto yodhā jagmuḥ samantataḥ | ātmatrāṇakṛtotsāhās tāvakā bharatarṣabha ||
हयान् द्विपांश्च त्वरयन्तो योधा जग्मुः समन्ततः । आत्मत्राणकृतोत्साहास्तावका भरतर्षभ ॥
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
When fear dominates, even trained warriors abandon collective duty and discipline; the verse highlights how attachment to self-preservation can eclipse kṣatriya-dharma and cause the breakdown of an army’s moral and strategic cohesion.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the Kaurava soldiers, intent only on saving themselves, whip their horses and elephants into speed and scatter in all directions—an image of panic and retreat on the battlefield.