Shloka 383
धृतराष्ट्रस्य मूर्च्छा तथा द्रोणविषयकप्रश्नाः
Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Fainting and Questions Concerning Droṇa
के नु पश्चादवर्तन्त गच्छन्तो दुर्गमां गतिम् कौन-कौनसे वीर उस समय निकटसे द्रोणाचार्यकी रक्षा करते हुए उनके आगे रहकर युद्ध करते थे और कौन-कौन योद्धा दुर्गम मार्गपर पैर बढ़ाते हुए उनके पीछे रहकर रक्षा करते थे?
ke nu paścād avartanta gacchanto durgamāṃ gatim
Dhṛtarāṣṭra hỏi: “Khi tiến theo lộ trình khó vượt ấy, những ai đứng phía trước chiến đấu để che chở Droṇācārya, và những ai ở phía sau làm hậu vệ, bảo vệ ngài khi đoàn quân bước tiếp trên con đường hiểm trở?”
धृतराष्ट उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the dharmic dimension of warfare: protecting one’s commander is a defined responsibility, requiring disciplined allocation of vanguard and rear-guard roles. It underscores accountability in collective action—who took which duty in a dangerous advance.
Dhṛtarāṣṭra questions Sañjaya about the Kaurava battle arrangement around Droṇa: as the army moved through a perilous tactical course, he wants to know which warriors stayed behind as the rear-guard (and, by implication from the accompanying sense, who fought in front) to safeguard Droṇācārya.