द्रोणपर्व — अध्याय १६२: प्रातःसंध्यायां युद्धप्रवृत्तिः तथा रजोमेघे संमूढता
ततस्त्वाहं न हन्म्यद्य द्रोणे जीवति संयुगे,नेष्यामि प्रेतलोकाय होतन्मे मनसि स्थितम् । “इसीलिये द्रोणके जीते-जी अभी युद्धस्थलमें तेरा वध नहीं कर रहा हूँ। दुर्मते! इसी रातमें प्रभात होनेसे पहले आज तेरे पिताका वध करके फिर तुझे भी युद्धस्थलमें प्रेतलोकको भेज दूँगा। यही मेरे मनका निश्चित विचार है
tatas tvāhaṃ na hanmy adya droṇe jīvati saṃyuge, neṣyāmi pretalokāya hotan me manasi sthitam |
قال سانجيا: «لذلك، ما دام درونا حيّاً والمعركة دائرة، فلن أقتلك اليوم. لقد عزمت أن أبعث بك إلى عالم الموتى—وهذا أمر قد استقرّ في قلبي رسوخاً.»
संजय उवाच
The verse highlights how personal vows and vengeance can override immediate action even in war: the speaker restrains himself for the moment due to Droṇa’s continued presence, yet declares a fixed intention to kill later. It illustrates the tension between strategic restraint and ethically troubling resolve.
In the midst of the battle, a warrior declares that he will not kill his opponent today as long as Droṇa remains alive in the conflict, but he is determined to send that opponent to the realm of the dead later—presenting a deliberate postponement of killing tied to Droṇa’s status.