Shloka 26
Śalya–Bhīma Gadāyuddham (मद्रराज-भीमसेन गदायुद्धम्)
द्रोण: पाउ्चालराजानं विद्ध्वा दशभिराशुगै: । बहुभिस्तेन चाभ्यस्तस्तं विव्याध ततोडधिकै:,द्रोणाचार्यने पांचालराज ट्रुपदको दस शीघ्रगामी बाणोंसे बींध डाला। फिर द्रुपदने भी बहुत-से बाणोंद्वारा उन्हें घायल कर दिया। तब द्रोणने भी और अधिक सायकोंद्वारा ट्रपदको क्षत-विक्षत कर दिया
sañjaya uvāca | droṇaḥ pāñcālarājānaṃ viddhvā daśabhir āśugaiḥ | bahubhis tena cābhyastas taṃ vivyādha tato ’dhikaiḥ ||
Sañjaya said: Having pierced the king of the Pāñcālas (Drupada) with ten swift arrows, Droṇa was in turn struck by him with many shafts. Thereupon Droṇa again wounded Drupada with still more arrows, intensifying the exchange. The passage underscores the grim reciprocity of battle—injury answered by injury—where personal enmity and martial duty drive an escalating cycle of violence within the larger dharmic crisis of the war.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the moral tension of war: once violence begins, it tends to invite retaliation and escalation. Even when framed as kṣatriya-duty, personal hostility and the logic of battlefield response can intensify suffering, illustrating the Mahābhārata’s recurring warning about the self-propagating nature of conflict.
Sañjaya narrates a direct exchange between Droṇa and Drupada: Droṇa first pierces Drupada with ten swift arrows; Drupada counters by striking Droṇa with many arrows; Droṇa then answers with an even greater volley, further wounding Drupada.