शिखण्डिनं द्वादशभिर् विंशत्या चोत्तमौजसम् ॥
नकुलं पञ्चभिर् विद्ध्वा सहदेवं च सप्तभिः ॥
युधिष्ठिरं द्वादशभिर् द्रौपदेयांस् त्रिभिस् त्रिभिः ॥
सात्यकिं पञ्चभिर् विद्ध्वा मत्स्यं च दशभिः शरैः ॥
व्यक्षोभयद् रणे योधान् यथामुख्यान् अभिद्रवन् ॥
अभ्यवर्तत संप्रेप्सुः कुन्तीपुत्रं युधिष्ठिरम् ॥
śikhaṇḍinaṃ dvādaśabhir viṃśatyā cottamaujasam ||
nakulaṃ pañcabhir viddhvā sahadevaṃ ca saptabhiḥ ||
yudhiṣṭhiraṃ dvādaśabhir draupadeyāṃs tribhis tribhiḥ ||
sātyakiṃ pañcabhir viddhvā matsyaṃ ca daśabhiḥ śaraiḥ ||
vyakṣobhayad raṇe yodhān yathāmukhyān abhidravan ||
abhyavartata saṃprepsuḥ kuntīputraṃ yudhiṣṭhiram ||
Having struck Shikhandin with twelve arrows, Uttamaujas with twenty, Nakula with five, Sahadeva with seven, Yudhishthira with twelve, each of the Draupadeyas with three, Satyaki with five, and Matsya [Virata] with ten arrows, he threw into confusion all the leading warriors of the battle, charging upon them, and pressed on, seeking to reach the son of Kunti, Yudhishthira.
31fd78a9ce28 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:00:04 PM UTC
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Drona strikes down the foremost warriors one after another, yet his goal remains unchanging — Yudhishthira: all his skill is bent toward fulfilling the word he gave Duryodhana. Thus even the greatest valor, bound by an unrighteous vow, becomes the instrument of another's self-serving design. The roll-call of the heroes struck down shows how many stand shielding the king of dharma. The verse teaches that might subordinated to an evil purpose is unswerving in pursuing it; that a vow given to the unrighteous turns valor into the servant of self-interest; and that in the hour of danger many rise up around the righteous man, for his protection is the protection of truth itself.