इत्य् एवं ब्रुवतो राजन् भारद्वाजस्य धीमतः ॥
प्रत्युवाच ततो यन्ता द्रोणं शस्त्रभृतां वरम् ॥
आयुष्मन् द्रवते सैन्यं कौरवेयं समन्ततः ॥
पश्य योधान् रणे भिन्नान् धावमानांस् ततस् ततः ॥
एते च सहिताः शूराः पाञ्चालाः पाण्डवैः सह ॥
त्वाम् एव हि जिघांसन्तः प्राद्रवन्ति समन्ततः ॥
अत्र कार्यं समाधत्स्व प्राप्तकालम् अरिंदम ॥
स्थाने वा गमने वापि दूरं यातश् च सात्यकिः ॥
ity evaṃ bruvato rājan bhāradvājasya dhīmataḥ ||
pratyuvāca tato yantā droṇaṃ śastrabhṛtāṃ varam ||
āyuṣman dravate sainyaṃ kauraveyaṃ samantataḥ ||
paśya yodhān raṇe bhinnān dhāvamānāṃs tatas tataḥ ||
ete ca sahitāḥ śūrāḥ pāñcālāḥ pāṇḍavaiḥ saha ||
tvām eva hi jighāṃsantaḥ prādravanti samantataḥ ||
atra kāryaṃ samādhatsva prāptakālam ariṃdama ||
sthāne vā gamane vāpi dūraṃ yātaś ca sātyakiḥ ||
"O long-lived one, the army of the Kauravya flees on every side; behold the warriors, broken in battle, running this way and that. And these united heroes, the Panchalas together with the Pandavas, seeking to kill you alone, rush in from every side. Here decide the timely course of action, O tamer of foes -- [about] standing or [about] going: for Satyaki has gone far."
2bb8c28fdf66 · published Jul 19, 2026, 4:08:02 PM UTC
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The charioteer places Drona before a choice, "sthāne vā gamane vā", to stand or to go, since Satyaki is already far off while the Pandavas advance upon Drona himself. It is telling that a wise servant calls his master to sober judgment rather than to passion. The verse teaches that in an hour of turmoil what is needed is a clear-headed choice, not impulse: to chase an enemy who has withdrawn, when danger threatens where one stands, is unwise -- wisdom weighs where duty lies now, and does not pursue what is already beyond reach at the cost of what is pressing.