Shloka 26
Gāndhārī’s Battlefield Survey: The Fallen and the Onset of Funeral Rites (शल्य-भगीरथ-भीष्म-द्रोणादि-दर्शनम्)
अर्जुनस्य विनेतारमाचार्य सात्यकेस्तथा | त॑ं पश्य पतितं द्रोणं कुरूणां गुरुमुत्तमम्,जो अर्जुनके शिक्षक, सात्यकिके आचार्य तथा कौरवोंके श्रेष्ठ गुरु थे, वे द्रोणाचार्य रणभूमिमें गिरे हुए हैं, उन्हें भी देख लो
arjunasya vinetāram ācāryaṃ sātyakestathā | taṃ paśya patitaṃ droṇaṃ kurūṇāṃ gurumuttamam ||
Vaiśaṃpāyana said: “Behold Droṇa fallen on the battlefield—he who was Arjuna’s disciplinarian and teacher, and likewise the preceptor of Sātyaki; the foremost guru of the Kurus. Look upon him as well.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the moral gravity of war: even the most revered teachers and guides can be brought low. It invites reflection on impermanence and the painful ethical cost when dharma is contested on the battlefield.
Vaiśaṃpāyana points out Droṇa lying fallen in the aftermath of the Kurukṣetra war, identifying him by his roles as Arjuna’s and Sātyaki’s preceptor and as the foremost guru of the Kurus, urging the listener to witness this tragic sight.