Shloka 145
द्रोणपुत्रके मस्तकपर अस्त्रोंकी वह बड़ी भारी वर्षा होती देख आपके समस्त सैनिक व्यथित हो उठे ।। द्रोणपुत्रस्तु विक्रान्तस्तद् वर्ष घोरमुच्छितम् । शरैरविध्वंसयामास वज्रकल्पै: शिलाशितै:,पंरतु पराक्रमी द्रोणकुमारने शिलापर तेज किये हुए अपने वज्रोपम बाणोंद्वारा वहाँ प्रकट हुई उस भयंकर अस्त्र-वर्षाका विध्वंस कर डाला
sañjaya uvāca | droṇaputrake mastakapar astrāṇāṃ sā baḍī bhārī varṣā hotī dekh āpake samasta sainik vyathita ho uṭhe || droṇaputras tu vikrāntas tad varṣa ghoraṃ mucchitam | śarair avidhvaṃsayāmāsa vajrakalpaiḥ śilāśitaiḥ ||
Sañjaya said: Seeing that tremendous and crushing shower of missiles falling upon the head of Droṇa’s son, all your soldiers were shaken with distress. But Droṇa’s valiant son (Aśvatthāmā), undaunted, shattered that dreadful, surging rain of weapons with his arrows—hard as thunderbolts and sharpened on stone—thus meeting violence with disciplined martial skill rather than panic, and turning the tide through steadfast resolve in battle.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights steadiness and trained resolve in crisis: while armies may panic at overwhelming force, a disciplined warrior meets danger with presence of mind and skill. Ethically, it also reflects the Mahābhārata’s recurring tension—heroic competence can be morally ambiguous when it serves an escalating cycle of violence.
A terrifying rain of weapons is directed at Droṇa’s son Aśvatthāmā, causing the Kaurava troops to become distressed. Aśvatthāmā, however, counters effectively, breaking up that missile-shower with powerful, stone-honed, thunderbolt-like arrows.