Shloka 5
Droṇa’s sweeping assault and the Abhimanyu–Jayadratha close-quarters episode (द्रोणस्य भीषणव्यचरितम् / सौभद्र-जयद्रथ-संनिपातः)
यथा तन्न भवेत् सत्यं तथा नीतिर्विधीयताम् । सान्तर हि प्रतिज्ञातं द्रोणेनामित्रकर्षिणा,आप्तैराशु परिज्ञातं भारद्वाजचिकीर्षितम् । संजय कहते हैं--राजन्! जब द्रोणाचार्यने कुछ अन्तर रखकर राजा युधिष्ठछिरको कैद करनेकी प्रतिज्ञा कर ली, तब आपके सैनिकोंने युधिष्ठिरके पकड़े जानेका उद्योग सुनकर जोर-जोरसे सिंहनाद करना और भुजाओंपर ताल ठोंकना आरम्भ किया। भरतनन्दन! उस समय धर्मराज युधिष्छिरने शीघ्र ही अपने विश्वसनीय गुप्तचरोंद्वारा यथायोग्य सारी बातें पूर्णरूपसे जान लीं कि द्रोणाचार्य क्या करना चाहते हैं “अतः तुम ऐसी नीति बताओ, जिससे उनकी इच्छा सफल न हो। शत्रुसूदन द्रोणने कुछ अन्तर रखकर प्रतिज्ञा की है
sañjaya uvāca | yathā tan na bhavet satyaṃ tathā nītir vidhīyatām | sāntaraṃ hi pratijñātaṃ droṇenāmitrakarṣiṇā | āptair āśu parijñātaṃ bhāradvājacikīrṣitam |
Sañjaya said: “O King, devise such a policy that it may not come true. For Droṇa, the harasser of foes, has indeed made a pledge with a certain reservation; and what the son of Bhāradvāja intends has quickly been ascertained by trustworthy agents.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights nīti (prudent statecraft) in response to an opponent’s vow: when an adversary’s intention is known—especially a pledge made with a strategic ‘reservation’—one should craft counter-measures that prevent its fulfillment, balancing foresight, intelligence-gathering, and ethical responsibility in war.
Sanjaya reports to King Dhritarashtra that Drona has taken a qualified vow and that Drona’s intended action has been quickly learned through trusted informants; therefore, counsel is sought on how to ensure that Drona’s plan does not succeed.