Shloka 97
Ulūka’s Provocation and Keśava’s Counter-Message (उलूकदूत्ये केशवप्रत्युत्तरम्)
ब्राह्मे धनुषि चाचार्य वेदयोरन्तगं द्वयो: । युधि धुर्यमविक्षो भ्यमनीकचरमच्युतम्,“कुन्तीपुत्र! आचार्य द्रोण ब्राह्मवेद और धरनुर्वेद इन दोनोंके पारंगत पण्डित हैं। ये युद्धका भार वहन करनेमें समर्थ, अक्षोभ्य, सेनाके मध्यभागमें विचरनेवाले तथा युद्धके मैदानसे पीछे न हटनेवाले हैं। इन महातेजस्वी द्रोणको जो तुम जीतनेकी इच्छा रखते हो, वह मिथ्या साहसमात्र है। वायुने सुमेरु पर्वतको उखाड़ फेंका हो, यह कभी हमारे सुननेमें नहीं आया है (इसी प्रकार तुम्हारे लिये भी आचार्यको जीतना असम्भव है)
brāhme dhanuṣi cācārya vedayor antagaṃ dvayoḥ | yudhi dhuryam avikṣobhyaṃ anīkacaram acyutam ||
Sañjaya said: “O son of Kuntī, the preceptor Droṇa has reached the farthest limit of mastery in both sacred learning (brahma-vidyā) and the science of the bow. In battle he is a foremost bearer of the war’s burden, unshakable, moving amid the ranks, and never turning back from the field. To desire to conquer that blazing Droṇa is only reckless bravado. We have never heard of the wind uprooting Mount Sumeru—so too, for you, defeating the preceptor is impossible.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse stresses sober assessment of true capability and the ethical weight of confronting a master: Droṇa embodies consummate knowledge and battlefield steadiness, so mere desire to defeat him without adequate means is portrayed as empty bravado.
Sañjaya describes Droṇa’s unmatched expertise in both sacred and martial disciplines and warns a son of Kuntī that attempting to conquer Droṇa is as impossible as the wind uprooting Mount Sumeru, emphasizing Droṇa’s perceived invincibility and unwavering presence in the battle ranks.