Shloka 21
भीष्मरक्षण-उद्योगः, शिखण्डि-विवर्जनं, सर्वतोभद्र-व्यूहः
Protection of Bhīṣma, Exemption of Śikhaṇḍin, and the Sarvatobhadra Array
अभिद्रुतों महाभागो राक्षसेन महात्मना । एतद्धि व: परं कृत्यं सर्वेषां न: परंतपा:
sañjaya uvāca | abhidruto mahābhāgo rākṣasena mahātmanā | etaddhi vaḥ paraṁ kṛtyaṁ sarveṣāṁ naḥ parantapāḥ |
Wika ni Sanjaya: “Ang marangal na si Duryodhana ay matinding sinasalakay ng dakilang-loob at kakila-kilabot na Rākṣasa. O mga nagpapahirap sa kaaway, para sa inyo—at para sa ating lahat—ito ang pinakamataas na tungkulin sa sandaling ito: kumilos agad at tumugon nang may pasya.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
In a battlefield crisis, the immediate dharma is timely, collective action: recognizing the urgent threat to one’s leader and responding without delay, framing it as the ‘param kṛtyam’—the foremost obligation for the group.
Sañjaya reports that Duryodhana is being pressed hard by a powerful Rākṣasa. He urges the warriors addressed as ‘parantapāḥ’ to treat rescuing/supporting Duryodhana as the most urgent and best course of action for everyone on their side.