Mahabharata 7.159.1 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 159, Shloka 1
अध्याय १५९ — रात्रौ श्रमविरामः
Night Exhaustion and Brief Pause in Battle
#-+3.2"22 हु हि की - भूमि नापनेका एक नाप जो चार सौ हाथका होता है। सप्तपञ्चाशर्दाधिकशततमोब् ध्याय: सोमदत्तकी ! मूच्छ
sañjaya uvāca | drupadasyātmajān dṛṣṭvā kuntibhojasutāṃs tathā | droṇaputreṇa nihatān rākṣasāṃś ca sahasraśaḥ | yudhiṣṭhiro bhīmaseno dhṛṣṭadyumnaś ca pārṣataḥ | yuyudhānaś ca saṃyattā yuddhāyaiva mano dadhuḥ ||
Sañjaya sprach: O König, als sie sahen, dass Droṇas Sohn (Aśvatthāman) die Söhne Drupadas und den Sohn Kuntibhojas sowie Tausende von Rākṣasas erschlagen hatte, wurden Yudhiṣṭhira, Bhīmasena, Dhṛṣṭadyumna — der Sohn des Pārṣata (Drupada) — und Yuyudhāna (Sātyaki) völlig wachsam und richteten ihren Sinn einzig auf den Kampf.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how witnessing extreme, indiscriminate killing can drive even dharma-minded leaders to concentrate on retaliation and survival. It implicitly warns that adharma in war tends to multiply conflict, forcing opponents into hardened resolve rather than reconciliation.
Sañjaya reports that Aśvatthāman (Droṇa’s son) has slain Drupada’s sons, the Kuntibhoja prince (identified with Yuyudhāna/Sātyaki in many recensions), and thousands of rākṣasa fighters. In response, Yudhiṣṭhira, Bhīma, Dhṛṣṭadyumna, and Yuyudhāna ready themselves and fix their minds on continuing the battle.
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