Shloka 72
“तात! जो वृष्णि वीरों और कौरवों दोनोंके आचार्य हैं अथवा दोनोंके ही नहीं, सम्पूर्ण क्षत्रियोंके आचार्य हैं, समस्त शस्त्रधारियोंमें जिनका सबसे ऊँचा स्थान है, उन द्रोणाचार्यके साथ तुम्हारा संग्राम किस प्रकार हुआ? ।। आचार्य पुत्रो यः शूर: सर्वशस्त्रभृतामपि | अश्वत्थामेति विख्यातस्तेनासीत् संगर: कथम्,“आचार्यके जो शूरवीर पुत्र सम्पूर्ण शस्त्रधारियोंमें श्रेष्ठ हैं, जिनकी अश्वत्थामा नामसे ख्याति है, उनके साथ तुम्हारी लड़ाई कैसे हुई?
vaiśampāyana uvāca | tāta! yo vṛṣṇivīrāṇāṃ kauravāṇāṃ ca ubhayor ācāryo 'tha vā na ubhayor api, samastakṣatriyāṇām ācāryaḥ, sarvaśastrabhṛtāṃ madhye yasya paramaṃ sthānam, tena droṇācāryeṇa saha tava saṅgrāmaḥ kathaṃ abhavat? ācāryaputro yaḥ śūraḥ sarvaśastrabhṛtām api śreṣṭhaḥ, aśvatthāmā iti vikhyātaḥ, tena āsīt saṅgaraḥ katham?
Vaiśampāyana said: “Dear child, how did your battle unfold with Droṇācārya—held to be the preceptor of both the Vṛṣṇi heroes and the Kauravas (indeed, as it were, of all kṣatriyas), and ranked foremost among all who bear arms? And how did the fight go with that valiant son of the teacher, renowned as Aśvatthāmā, counted the best among weapon-bearers?”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds the ethical weight of martial authority: Droṇa is portrayed not merely as a partisan teacher but as an exemplar of kṣatriya military tradition. By asking “how” the combat occurred with such figures, the text invites reflection on conduct in war—how one engages a revered preceptor and his celebrated son while remaining within the bounds of kṣatriya-dharma.
Vaiśampāyana, continuing the narration, poses a pointed question about the details of a confrontation: he asks how the listener’s battle proceeded first with Droṇa—described as preeminent among armed warriors and a teacher to multiple lineages—and then with Droṇa’s son Aśvatthāmā, famed as a foremost fighter.