Shloka 23
द्रोणो5पि समरे राजन् माधवस्य महद् धनु: । अर्धचन्द्रेण चिच्छेद रथशक्त्या च सारथिम्,नरेश्वर! तब समरभूमिमें द्रोणाचार्यने भी सात्यकिके विशाल धनुषको अर्द्धचन्द्राकार बाणसे काट दिया तथा रथशक्तिका प्रहार करके सारथिको भी गहरी चोट पहुँचायी
sañjaya uvāca |
droṇo 'pi samare rājan mādhavasya mahad dhanuḥ |
ardhacandreṇa ciccheda rathaśaktyā ca sārathim, nareśvara |
Sañjaya said: O king, in the midst of battle Droṇa too cut down Mādhava’s great bow with a crescent-headed arrow; and with a spear cast from his chariot he struck the charioteer as well, dealing him a grievous wound. The scene underscores the relentless, skill-driven violence of war, where even revered teachers employ lethal mastery without pause.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how, in the dharma of war, mastery and resolve can override personal reverence: even a venerable teacher like Droṇa acts with uncompromising effectiveness. It invites reflection on the ethical tension between duty (kṣatriya-dharma) and the human cost of relentless combat.
Sañjaya reports to the king that Droṇa, fighting on the battlefield, severs Mādhava’s great bow with a crescent-headed arrow and then strikes the charioteer with a chariot-spear, seriously wounding him.