Shloka 36
न्यस्यायुधं रणे द्रोण समीक्षास्मानवस्थितान् । नात:ः क्रूरतरं कर्म पुनः कर्तुमिहाहसि
nyasyāyudhaṃ raṇe droṇa samīkṣāsmān avasthitān | nātaḥ krūrataraṃ karma punaḥ kartum ihāhasi ||
Sañjaya said: “O Droṇa, having laid down your weapons in the midst of battle and seeing us standing ready, you ought not to commit any deed here more cruel than this.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in war, one must observe ethical restraint: laying down arms or creating a situation of helplessness should not be exploited for a harsher, more cruel act. The verse frames cruelty itself as a moral boundary that should not be crossed on the battlefield.
Sañjaya reports a moment in the battle where Droṇa has set aside his weapons while facing opponents who remain poised. Sañjaya’s statement functions as a warning or moral censure: Droṇa should not proceed to any action that would be considered even more brutal than what has just occurred.