Shloka 21
Adhyāya 14: Śalya’s Missile-Pressure and the Pāṇḍava Convergence (शल्यस्य शरवर्षम्)
द्रौणिस्तु समरे दृष्टवा पाण्डवस्थ पराक्रमम्
drauṇis tu samare dṛṣṭvā pāṇḍavastha parākramam
Sañjaya nói: Giữa chiến địa, thấy uy dũng của các Pāṇḍava, Drauni (Aśvatthāmā) liền nhận ra sức mạnh đáng gờm của họ.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how witnessing another’s strength in war can intensify strategic and emotional responses; ethically, it points to the Mahābhārata’s recurring tension between kṣatriya valor and the danger of letting admiration, fear, or anger harden into vengeful resolve.
Sañjaya reports that Aśvatthāmā (Drauni), present in the battle, observes the Pāṇḍavas’ prowess. This observation functions as a narrative pivot toward the reactions and decisions of the Kaurava side in the unfolding combat.