Mahabharata 7.21.60 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 21, Shloka 60
द्रोणविक्रमदर्शनम् / The Display of Droṇa’s Onslaught and the Debate on Pāṇḍava Regrouping
तस्मिन् हते राजपुत्रे पज्चालानां यशस्करे । हत द्रोणं हत द्रोणमित्यासीज्नि:स्वनो महान्
tasmin hate rājaputre pāñcālānāṃ yaśaskare | hata droṇaṃ hata droṇam ity āsīj niḥsvano mahān ||
Sañjaya sprach: Als jener Prinz, der den Ruhm der Pāñcālas mehrte, erschlagen war, erhob sich dort ein gewaltiger Aufruhr, und man rief: „Tötet Droṇa! Tötet Droṇa!“ Der Ruf zeigte, wie der Tod eines gefeierten Kriegers sogleich zum strategischen und moralischen Wendepunkt wurde: Das Ziel der Schlacht verlagerte sich darauf, Droṇa zu stürzen, den man als wichtigste Stütze der Kaurava-Sache ansah.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how a single death in war can redirect collective intention and moral focus: the army’s cry to kill Droṇa shows the shift from general combat to targeting a pivotal leader, raising ethical questions about ends, means, and the escalation of violence in pursuit of victory.
After a renowned prince associated with the Pāñcālas is killed, a loud commotion breaks out on the battlefield. Warriors begin shouting repeatedly, “Kill Droṇa! Kill Droṇa!”, indicating an immediate push to bring down Droṇa as the decisive objective.
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