Shloka 6
कर्णो वा समरश्लाघी द्रौणिरर्वा द्विजसत्तम: । दिव्यास्त्रविदुष: सर्वे भवन्तो हि बले मम,“महातेजस्वी गंगानन्दन! आप कितने समयमें इस सारी सेनाका विध्वंस कर सकते हैं? महाधनुर्धर द्रोणाचार्य, अत्यन्त बलशाली कृपाचार्य, युद्धकी स्पृहा रखनेवाले कर्ण अथवा द्विजश्रेष्ठ अश्वत्थामा कितने समयमें शत्रुसेनाका संहार कर सकते हैं; क्योंकि मेरी सेनामें आप ही सब लोग दिव्यास्त्रोंके ज्ञाता हैं
sañjaya uvāca | karṇo vā samaraślāghī drauṇir vā dvijasattamaḥ | divyāstraviduṣaḥ sarve bhavanto hi bale mama ||
Sañjaya said: “Whether it be Karṇa, famed for his relish for battle, or Droṇa’s son Aśvatthāmā, the best among the twice-born—indeed, all of you in my host are knowers of divine missiles (divyāstra).”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a recurring Mahābhārata tension: war is often assessed through capability—especially mastery of extraordinary weapons—rather than through dharma. It implicitly critiques the mindset that measures victory by destructive power and elite expertise, sidelining ethical restraint.
In the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war deliberations, Sañjaya reports statements that single out key Kaurava champions—Karṇa and Droṇa’s son Aśvatthāmā (along with other masters of celestial weapons)—as the decisive strength of the army, framing the coming conflict in terms of how quickly they could annihilate the opposing force.