Shloka 17
रथचिह्नवर्णनम् / Description of Chariot Standards and Allied Advances
व्यक्त द्रोणमयं लोकमद्य पश्यति दुर्मति: । निराशो जीवितान्नूनमद्य राज्याच्च पाण्डव:,निश्चय ही आज जीवन और राज्यसे निराश हो यह दुर्बुद्धि पाण्डुकुमार सारे संसारको द्रोणगमय ही देख रहा होगा
vyaktaṃ droṇamayaṃ lokam adya paśyati durmatiḥ | nirāśo jīvitān nūnam adya rājyāc ca pāṇḍavaḥ ||
Duryodhana said: “Today that fool clearly sees the whole world as nothing but Droṇa. Surely, the Pāṇḍava has now lost hope—of life itself and of his kingdom as well.”
दुर्योधन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how power and reputation in war can reshape perception: a commander’s dominance can make opponents feel the entire world is ‘pervaded’ by him. Ethically, it also shows the corrosive role of contempt and overconfidence—Duryodhana weaponizes ridicule to frame the enemy as already defeated in spirit.
In the Drona Parva, Droṇa leads the Kaurava forces with formidable success. Duryodhana, exulting in Droṇa’s prowess, claims that the Pāṇḍavas now see everything as controlled by Droṇa and have become hopeless about both survival and regaining the kingdom.