Shloka 26
Adhyāya 140: Rātriyuddhe Droṇa-prāpti-prayatnaḥ
Night engagement and the attempt to reach Droṇa
अग्नेर्वायुसहायस्य गति: कक्ष इवाहवे
agnervāyusahāyasya gatiḥ kakṣa ivāhave
Sañjaya said: In that battle, his movement was like a wildfire driven by the wind—swift, spreading, and irresistible, consuming whatever lay in its path. The image shows how, when power is joined with favorable force, it can become overwhelming and morally perilous amid the chaos of war.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how force multiplied by favorable conditions becomes uncontrollable—like fire fanned by wind—suggesting that in war, unchecked momentum can rapidly turn into indiscriminate destruction, challenging ethical restraint.
Sañjaya describes a warrior’s rapid, devastating advance on the battlefield by comparing it to a wind-driven blaze racing through dry brush, conveying speed, spread, and the terror of unstoppable assault.