Shloka 25
भीष्मरक्षण-उद्योगः, शिखण्डि-विवर्जनं, सर्वतोभद्र-व्यूहः
Protection of Bhīṣma, Exemption of Śikhaṇḍin, and the Sarvatobhadra Array
अभिवद्रुतं परीप्सन्तः पुत्र दुर्योधनं तव । तदनीकमनाधृष्यं पालितं तु महारथै:
sañjaya uvāca | abhivadrutaṃ parīpsantaḥ putra duryodhanaṃ tava | tad anīkam anādhṛṣyaṃ pālitaṃ tu mahārathaiḥ—droṇācāryaḥ, somadattaḥ, bāhlīkaḥ, jayadrathaḥ, kṛpācāryaḥ, bhūriśravāḥ, śalyaḥ, avantīkā-rājakumāraḥ, bṛhadbalaḥ, aśvatthāmā, vikarṇaḥ, citrasenaḥ, viviṃśatiḥ tathā teṣāṃ ca anuyāyinaḥ aneka-sahasra-rathinaḥ—ete sarve rākṣasena ākrāntāḥ tava putraṃ duryodhanaṃ rakṣituṃ gatāḥ | taiḥ mahārathaiḥ pālitaṃ sā senā ajeyā babhūva |
Sinabi ni Sanjaya: Nagnanais na sumugod upang tumulong, dali-dali silang nagpunta upang ipagtanggol ang iyong anak na si Duryodhana. Ang hanay ng hukbo, na binabantayan ng mga dakilang mandirigmang nakasakay sa karwahe—si Drona, Somadatta, Bahlika, Jayadratha, Kripa, Bhurishravas, Shalya, ang prinsipe ng Avanti, Brihadbala, Ashvatthama, Vikarna, Chitrasena, Vivimshati, at libu-libong mandirigmang karwahe na sumunod sa kanila—ay lumabas upang iligtas si Duryodhana nang siya’y salakayin ng isang rakshasa. Sa pagkakanlong ng gayong mga pangunahing bayani, ang hukbong iyon ay naging mahirap daigin.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the warrior-code of protection and solidarity: elite fighters consider it their duty to shield their leader in crisis. Ethically, it shows how loyalty and comradeship can create formidable strength—yet it also invites reflection on whether such loyalty is aligned with dharma or merely with factional allegiance.
Sanjaya reports to Dhritarashtra that Duryodhana, attacked by a rakshasa, is being defended by a group of renowned Kaurava maharathas and their followers. Their combined protection makes the Kaurava battle-array difficult to defeat.