Shloka 9
भीमसेन-दुर्योधन-समागमः
Bhīmasena–Duryodhana Engagement at Sunset
धृष्टकेतुश्व॒ समरे राक्षसश्न घटोत्कच: । (नाकुलिश्व शतानीक: समरे रथपुड्रव: ।) पुत्राणां ते रथानीकं प्रत्युद्याता: सुदुर्जया:,धृष्टकेतु, राक्षस घटोत्कव और नकुलपुत्र श्रेष्ठ रथी शतानीक--इन अत्यन्त दुर्जय वीरोंने समरांगणमें आपकी रथसेनापर आक्रमण किया
sañjaya uvāca | dhṛṣṭaketuś ca samare rākṣasaś ca ghaṭotkacaḥ | nakuliś ca śatānīkaḥ samare rathapuṅgavaḥ | putrāṇāṃ te rathānīkaṃ pratyudyātāḥ sudurjayāḥ |
Sinabi ni Sañjaya: Sa kasagsagan ng labanan, sina Dhṛṣṭaketu, ang Rākṣasa na si Ghaṭotkaca, at si Śatānīka—anak ni Nakula, isang napakahusay na mandirigmang karwahe—ang mga bayaning halos di mapanaig ay sumulong upang salubungin at hampasin ang mga pormasyon ng karwahe ng mga anak mo. Ipinakikita ng tagpong ito na ang sigla ng digmaan ay itinutulak ng tapang at paninindigan, hindi lamang ng angkan, habang ang magkabilang panig ay sumusulong sa pangunguna ng matatapang na kampeon.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the kṣatriya ethic of meeting force with force: formidable warriors step forward to confront an opposing formation. It also suggests that in war, capability and resolve—embodied by named champions—shape outcomes more than status alone.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Dhṛṣṭaketu, Ghaṭotkaca, and Śatānīka (Nakula’s son), all described as hard to defeat, have advanced in battle to attack the chariot divisions of the Kaurava forces (Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s sons).