Shloka 31
Gāndhārī’s Battlefield Survey: The Fallen and the Onset of Funeral Rites (शल्य-भगीरथ-भीष्म-द्रोणादि-दर्शनम्)
धनुर्मष्टिरशीर्णश्व हस्तावापश्च माधव । द्रोणस्य निहतस्याजौ दृश्यते जीवतो यथा,माधव! युद्धमें मारे जानेपर भी द्रोणाचार्यके धनुषके साथ जुड़ी हुई मुट्ठी ढीली नहीं हुई है। दस्ताना भी ज्यों-का-त्यों दिखायी देता है, मानो वह जीवित पुरुषके हाथमें हो
dhanurmuṣṭir aśīrṇaśva-hastāvāpaś ca mādhava | droṇasya nihatasyaājau dṛśyate jīvato yathā ||
Vaiśampāyana said: “O Mādhava, even though Droṇa has been slain on the battlefield, the bow-grip in his hand has not slackened; the glove and the hand-guard appear exactly as they were—so that it looks as if they were still on the hand of a living man.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the haunting residue of violence: even after a great teacher-warrior is killed, the signs of disciplined martial readiness seem to persist. It deepens the ethical lament of the Strī Parva by showing how war dehumanizes and leaves behind disturbing images that intensify remorse and reflection on dharma.
Vaiśampāyana describes to Mādhava (Kṛṣṇa) a striking sight on the battlefield: Droṇa, though slain, still appears as if alive because his hand remains fixed on the bow-grip and the protective glove/guard looks unchanged. The description serves as a vivid detail in the post-battle scene of sorrow and shock.