Shloka 31
द्रोणसायकनुन्नानां भग्नानां मधुसूदन । कर्णेन त्रास्यमानानामवस्थानं न विद्यते,“मधुसूदन! द्रोणाचार्यके बाणोंसे घायल और कर्णसे भयभीत होकर भागते हुए हमारे सैनिक कहीं भी ठहर नहीं पाते हैं
sañjaya uvāca |
droṇasāyaka-nunnānāṃ bhagnānāṃ madhusūdana |
karṇena trāsyamānānām avasthānaṃ na vidyate ||
Sañjaya said: “O Madhusūdana, our troops—pierced and driven on by Droṇa’s arrows, broken in spirit, and terror-stricken by Karṇa—find no place to stand their ground; they cannot hold any position.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how fear and loss of cohesion can collapse an army even before physical annihilation: when warriors are simultaneously wounded, pressured, and psychologically terrorized, they lose the capacity to ‘stand’—a reminder that dharma in war includes steadiness, discipline, and leadership that preserves morale.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra, addressing Kṛṣṇa as Madhusūdana, that the Kaurava soldiers are being relentlessly struck by Droṇa’s arrows and intimidated by Karṇa, so they are breaking ranks and cannot hold any defensive position on the battlefield.