Shloka 24
द्रोणपर्व (अध्याय ११२) — कर्णभीमयोर्युद्धम्, दुर्योधनस्य रक्षणादेशः
Droṇa-parva 112: Karṇa–Bhīma Engagement and Duryodhana’s Protective Order
तर्पितास्ते शरैस्तस्य भारद्वाजस्य धन्विन: । आतियथेयं गृहं प्राप्पय नृपतेडतिथयो यथा,राजन्! जैसे घरपर आये हुए अतिथियोंका जल और आसन आदिके द्वारा सत्कार किया जाता है, उसी प्रकार द्रोणाचार्यने स्वयं उन समस्त आक्रमणकारी वीरोंकी मुसकराते हुए ही अगवानी की। जैसे अतिथिसत्कारमें निपुण गृहस्थके घर जाकर अतिथि तृप्त होते हैं, उसी प्रकार धनुर्धर द्रोणाचार्यके बाणोंसे उन सबकी यशथेष्ट तृप्ति की गयी
sañjaya uvāca |
tarpitās te śarais tasya bhāradvājasya dhanvinaḥ |
ātithyena gṛhaṁ prāpya nṛpate ’tithayo yathā ||
Sañjaya said: Those warriors were ‘satisfied’ by the arrows of that bowman Bhāradvāja (Droṇa), just as guests, O king, are satisfied when they reach a house and are honored with hospitality.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse uses deliberate irony: the language of atithi-dharma (guest-hospitality) is applied to combat, showing how social-ethical idioms can be inverted in war. It highlights the tension between humane ideals (honoring guests) and kṣatriya-duty (meeting attackers with force), reminding readers to notice how ‘dharma-language’ can dignify or conceal violence.
Sañjaya describes Droṇa facing onrushing warriors. Droṇa’s arrows ‘satisfy’ them—i.e., he strikes them down or overwhelms them—likened to guests being satisfied when welcomed in a house with proper hospitality.