Shloka 13
दृष्टवा च समरे द्रोणं निघ्नन्तं पाण्डवीं चमूम्
dṛṣṭvā ca samare droṇaṃ nighnantaṃ pāṇḍavīṃ camūm
Sañjaya said: Seeing Droṇa on the battlefield, striking down the Pāṇḍava host, the scene reveals the grim momentum of war—where mastery in arms can overwhelm multitudes, and where the ethical weight of violence intensifies as a revered teacher becomes an instrument of large-scale destruction.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the moral gravity of war: even a venerable teacher like Droṇa, bound by allegiance and kṣatriya imperatives, can become a force of mass killing. It invites reflection on how duty, loyalty, and skill can collide with compassion and the broader demands of dharma.
Sañjaya reports that Droṇa is seen in the thick of battle actively cutting down the Pāṇḍava forces. The line functions as a narrative pivot highlighting Droṇa’s dominance and the severe pressure placed upon the Pāṇḍavas at this stage of the war.