Shloka 39
दुर्योधन–द्रोणसंवादः
Arjuna-vīrya-prasaṃśā and renewed battle formation
धृष्टद्युम्म: शिखण्डी च दौर्मुखिर्जनमेजय: । चन्द्रसेनो रुद्रसेन: कीर्तिधर्मा ध्रुवो धर:,उनके सम्बन्धी भी इन्द्रके समान पराक्रमी, उनमें अनुराग रखनेवाले और प्रहार करनेमें कुशल हैं, जिनके नाम इस प्रकार हैं--धृष्टद्युम्म, शिखण्डी, दुर्मुखपुत्र जनमेजय, चन्द्रसेन, रुद्रसेन, कीर्तिधर्मा, ध्रुव, धर, वसुचन्द्र, दामचन्द्र, सिंहचन्द्र, सुतेजन, द्रुपदके पुत्रगण तथा महान् अस्त्रवेत्ता द्रपद
dhṛṣṭadyumnaḥ śikhaṇḍī ca daurmukhir janamejayaḥ | candraseno rudrasenaḥ kīrtidharmā dhruvo dharaḥ ||
Kṛpa said: “Dhṛṣṭadyumna and Śikhaṇḍin, and Janamejaya the son of Durmukha; Candrasena and Rudrasena; Kīrtidharmā, Dhruva, and Dhara—these too are Indra-like in valor, devoted to their own side, and skilled in striking blows.”
कृप उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how loyalty to one’s cause, combined with practiced martial skill, creates formidable power. Ethically, it reflects the Mahābhārata’s recurring tension: devotion and competence can serve either side, so leaders must judge strength realistically rather than by mere affiliation.
Kṛpa is naming prominent fighters, emphasizing that these warriors are ‘Indra-like’ in valor and effective in attack. The list functions as battlefield assessment—identifying dangerous opponents/allies and framing the intensity of the conflict in Droṇa Parva.