Shloka 18
Droṇa-pātana-paripṛcchā (Inquiry into the Fall of Droṇa) | द्रोणपातनपरिपृच्छा
द्रोणस्य रथघोषेण मौर्वीनिष्पेषणेन च । धनु:शब्देन चाकाशे शब्द: समभवन्महान्,द्रोणाचार्यके रथकी घरघराहट, प्रत्यंचाको दबा-दबाकर खींचनेके शब्द और धनुषकी टंकारसे आकाशमें महान् कोलाहल होने लगा
droṇasya rathaghoṣeṇa maurvīniṣpeṣaṇena ca | dhanuḥśabdena cākāśe śabdaḥ samabhavan mahān ||
Sañjaya said: With the thunder of Droṇa’s chariot, the harsh rasp of his bowstring being drawn tight, and the ringing twang of his bow, a mighty roar arose and filled the sky.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how inner resolve and martial capability express themselves as an overpowering external presence. Ethically, it frames war as a force that amplifies fear and momentum—once unleashed, it fills the world (symbolized by the sky) with tumult, reminding the listener of the grave consequences of kṣatriya conflict.
Sanjaya describes the battlefield atmosphere as Droṇa advances: the chariot’s rumble, the bowstring being drawn taut, and the bow’s twang combine into a great uproar in the sky, signaling Droṇa’s formidable entry and the intensification of combat.