Shloka 21
Droṇa’s Resolve to Restrain Yudhiṣṭhira and Arjuna’s Protective Vow (द्रोणस्य युधिष्ठिरनिग्रह-प्रयत्नः)
न हि शक्यो रणे पार्थ: सेन्द्रैदेवासुरैरपि । प्रत्युद्यातुमतस्तात नैतदामर्षयाम्यहम्,तात! रणक्षेत्रमें इन्द्रसहित सम्पूर्ण देवता और असुर भी अर्जुनका सामना नहीं कर सकते हैं। अतः मुझमें भी उन्हें जीतनेका उत्साह नहीं है
na hi śakyo raṇe pārthaḥ sendrair devāsurair api | pratyudyātum atas tāta naitad āmarṣayāmy aham ||
Droṇa said: “In battle, Pārtha (Arjuna) cannot truly be withstood—even by the gods and the asuras together, with Indra at their head. Therefore, my son, I do not feel the resolve to challenge him face to face; I cannot bring myself to accept such a contest.”
द्रोण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights sober discernment in warfare: true courage includes recognizing overwhelming prowess and not forcing a futile confrontation. Droṇa’s statement frames Arjuna’s exceptional martial power as near-superhuman, and it implicitly raises an ethical tension between duty to fight and prudent restraint.
In the Droṇa Parva, Droṇa addresses someone affectionately as “tāta,” declaring that Arjuna is so formidable that even gods and asuras with Indra could not oppose him in battle. On that basis, Droṇa expresses unwillingness to advance directly against Arjuna.