Shloka 34
Chapter 30: Formation Disruption, Competing War-Cries, and Nīla’s Fall
Droṇa-parva
सुयुद्ध चार्जुनस्यासीदहं तु द्रोणमन्वियाम् । तत्पश्चात् पुनः दक्षिण दिशामें विचित्र युद्ध करनेवाले योद्धाओंका अर्जुनके साथ बड़ा भारी युद्ध होने लगा और मैं द्रोणाचार्यके पास चला गया ।। ३३ $ ।। यौधिष्ठटिरा भ्यनीकानि प्रहरन्ति ततस्तत:,भरतनन्दन! युधिष्ठिरकी सेनाके सैनिक इधर-उधरसे घातक प्रहार कर रहे थे। जैसे वायु आकाशमें बादलोंको छिन्न-भिन्न कर देती है, उसी प्रकार उस समय अर्जुन आपके पुत्रोंकी विभिन्न सेनाओंका विनाश करने लगे
sañjaya uvāca |
suyuddhaṃ cārjunasya āsīd ahaṃ tu droṇam anviyām |
tataḥ paścāt punaḥ dakṣiṇa-diśi vicitra-yuddha-karaṇe yoddhānām arjunena saha mahad yuddham abhavat |
ahaṃ ca droṇācārya-samīpaṃ gataḥ |
yudhiṣṭhirasya abhy-anīkāni praharanti tataḥ tataḥ, bharata-nandana |
te yudhiṣṭhira-senā-sainikāḥ itarataḥ ghātaka-prahārān kurvanti sma |
yathā vāyur ākāśe meghān chinna-bhinnān karoti, tathā tadā arjunaḥ tava putrāṇāṃ vividhāni anīkāni vyanaśayat ||
Sañjaya said: Arjuna’s fighting was truly formidable; as for me, I went after Droṇa. Thereafter, in the southern quarter, warriors skilled in wondrous modes of combat engaged Arjuna in a great and terrible battle, while I proceeded to Droṇācārya. O delight of the Bharatas, the troops of Yudhiṣṭhira were striking from various directions with deadly blows; and just as the wind rends clouds apart in the sky, so at that time Arjuna was destroying the many divisions of your sons’ forces.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage underscores the ethical weight of war: when adharma-driven conflict escalates, even rightful duty (kṣatriya-dharma) manifests as overwhelming destruction. Sañjaya’s imagery—armies scattered like clouds by wind—highlights how collective choices lead to irreversible consequences.
Sañjaya reports that Arjuna is fighting with exceptional force. Sañjaya himself moves toward Droṇācārya, while in the southern sector Arjuna faces formidable opponents. Simultaneously, Yudhiṣṭhira’s troops strike the Kaurava divisions from multiple directions, and Arjuna shatters the Kaurava formations.