Shloka 41
Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 47 — Arjuna’s Deterrent Declaration
Sañjaya’s Report
यदा द्रष्टा संजयानामनीके धृष्टय्युम्न॑ प्रमुखे रोचमानम् । अस्त्र॑ यस्मै गुह्मुमुवाच धीमान् द्रोणस्तदा तप्स्यति धार्तराष्ट्र:
yadā draṣṭā sañjayānām anīke dhṛṣṭadyumnam pramukhe rocamānam | astraṁ yasmai guhyaṁ uvāca dhīmān droṇas tadā tapsyati dhārtarāṣṭraḥ ||
Sañjaya sprach: Wenn Dhṛtarāṣṭras Sohn (Duryodhana) Dhrishtadyumna an der Spitze des Pāṇḍava-Heeres leuchten sieht, wird er tief gequält sein—denn eben diesem Mann hatte der weise Lehrer Droṇa einst das geheime innere Wissen der Waffenlehre offenbart. Der Anblick macht die Unterweisung zur Ironie: Was im Vertrauen gelehrt wurde, steht nun als Drohung auf dem Schlachtfeld, und Duryodhanas Geist brennt vor Ahnung und Reue.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical tension in martial instruction: knowledge given in trust can return as a weapon against one’s own side. It underscores how actions and alliances in war create moral consequences—Duryodhana’s anguish arises from seeing Drona’s confidential teaching embodied in an enemy commander.
Sanjaya predicts Duryodhana’s reaction on the battlefield: when Duryodhana beholds Dhrishtadyumna leading the opposing army in splendor, he will feel intense distress, remembering that Drona had once taught Dhrishtadyumna secret aspects of weapon-lore.