ततः संचुक्रुशुः पार्था ये च तेषां पदानुगाः ॥
निर्जित्य च रणे शत्रून् नकुलः शत्रुतापनः ॥
अब्रवीत् सारथिं क्रुद्धो द्रोणानीकाय मां वह ॥
तस्य तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा माद्रीपुत्रस्य धीमतः ॥
प्रायात् तेन रणे राजन् येन द्रोणो ऽन्वयुध्यत ॥
शिखण्डिनं तु समरे द्रोणप्रेप्सुं विशां पते ॥
कृपः शारद्वतो यत्तः प्रत्युद्गच्छत् सुवेगितः ॥
गौतमं द्रुतम् आयान्तं द्रोणान्तिकम् अरिंदमम् ॥
विव्याध नवभिर् भल्लैः शिखण्डी प्रहसन्न् इव ॥
tataḥ saṃcukruśuḥ pārthā ye ca teṣāṃ padānugāḥ ||
nirjitya ca raṇe śatrūn nakulaḥ śatrutāpanaḥ ||
abravīt sārathiṃ kruddho droṇānīkāya māṃ vaha ||
tasya tad vacanaṃ śrutvā mādrīputrasya dhīmataḥ ||
prāyāt tena raṇe rājan yena droṇo 'nvayudhyata ||
śikhaṇḍinaṃ tu samare droṇaprepsuṃ viśāṃ pate ||
kṛpaḥ śāradvato yattaḥ pratyudgacchat suvegitaḥ ||
gautamaṃ drutam āyāntaṃ droṇāntikam ariṃdamam ||
vivyādha navabhir bhallaiḥ śikhaṇḍī prahasann iva ||
...the charioteer quickly carried him away in the chariot from the front of the army. Then the Parthas rejoiced, and those who were their followers. And having conquered the enemies in battle, Nakula, the scorcher of enemies, spoke to his charioteer, enraged: "Carry me to Drona's army." Having heard those words of the wise son of Madri, the charioteer went there in battle, O king, where Drona fought. But Shikhandin, eager to reach Drona in the fight, O lord of peoples - Kripa, son of Sharadvat, ready at hand, went forth swiftly to meet him.
5f9585c0e4a5 · published Jul 19, 2026, 4:49:34 PM UTC
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Having defeated Shakuni, Nakula does not savor his triumph but at once orders himself carried to Drona - where the battle's chief knot lies. It is significant that he is called "wise": his valor is joined to the discernment that draws him toward the decisive deed. The verse teaches that the true warrior does not linger over a victory won, but presses on to where he is most needed; and wisdom lies in not squandering strength on the lesser matter, but turning it toward the center on which the outcome depends.