Shloka 23
Vasiṣṭhasya śokaḥ, Vipāśā–Śatadrū-nāmākaraṇam, Kalmāṣapādasya bhaya-prasaṅgaḥ (Ādi Parva 167)
स हि ब्रह्मविदां श्रेष्ठो ब्रह्मास्त्रे चाप्यनुत्तम: तस्माद् द्रोण: पराजैष्ट मां वै स सखिविग्रहे,'द्रोणाचार्य ब्रह्मवेत्ताओंमें श्रेष्ठ और ब्रह्मास्त्रके प्रयोगमें भी सर्वोत्तम हैं; इसलिये मित्र मानने-न-माननेके प्रश्नबको लेकर होनेवाले झगड़ेमें उन्होंने मुझे पराजित कर दिया है
sa hi brahmavidāṁ śreṣṭho brahmāstre cāpy anuttamaḥ | tasmād droṇaḥ parājaiṣṭa māṁ vai sa sakhivigrahe ||
فإن درونا حقّاً هو الأوّل بين عارفي البراهمن، ولا يُجارى في استعمال سلاح البراهماأسترا. لذلك، في ذلك النزاع المتعلّق بالصداقة—أَيُعَدُّ المرء صديقاً أم لا—لقد غلبني غلبةً صادقة.
ब्राह्मण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a tension central to the Mahābhārata: excellence in spiritual knowledge and excellence in weaponry can coexist in one person, yet personal relationships and questions of honor (such as recognition of friendship) can still become causes of conflict. It implicitly warns that ego and social claims can turn even bonds like friendship into rivalry.
A brāhmaṇa speaker acknowledges Droṇa’s superiority—both as a knower of Brahman and as a master of the Brahmāstra—and explains that Droṇa defeated him in a quarrel arising from a dispute about friendship (whether one should be accepted as a friend or not).