ततस् ते पर्यवर्तन्त सर्वे द्रोणरथं प्रति ॥
भयात् पतगराजस्य गर्तानीव महोरगाः ॥
हत्वा पञ्चशतान् योधाञ् शरैर् आशीविषोपमैः ॥
प्रायात् स शनकैर् वीरो धनंजयरथं प्रति ॥
तं प्रयान्तं नरश्रेष्ठं पुत्रो दुःशासनस् तव ॥
विव्याध नवभिस् तूर्णं शरैः संनतपर्वभिः ॥
tatas te paryavartanta sarve droṇarathaṃ prati ||
bhayāt patagarājasya gartānīva mahoragāḥ ||
hatvā pañcaśatān yodhāñ śarair āśīviṣopamaiḥ ||
prāyāt sa śanakair vīro dhanaṃjayarathaṃ prati ||
taṃ prayāntaṃ naraśreṣṭhaṃ putro duḥśāsanas tava ||
vivyādha navabhis tūrṇaṃ śaraiḥ saṃnataparvabhiḥ ||
Then they all turned back toward Drona's chariot, fleeing from fear of Garuda, king of birds, as great serpents flee into their holes. Having slain five hundred warriors with arrows like venomous serpents, the hero moved on unhurriedly toward Dhananjaya's chariot. As he advanced, the foremost of men, your son Duhshasana swiftly pierced him with nine smooth-jointed arrows.
5bd07c9b3042 · published Jul 19, 2026, 4:08:02 PM UTC
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The enemy flees to Drona "bhayāt patagarājasya gartānīva mahoragāḥ," like serpents into their burrows before Garuda: terror before one man drives the many to seek shelter. It is notable that Satyaki's terrible power is likened to the king of birds, destroyer of serpents. The verse teaches that fear before the valiant turns the many into fugitives seeking refuge: where strength crowned by truth is shown, the unjust seek only where to hide, like snakes before the swooping Garuda.