Shloka 13
Abhimanyunidhana-prakāśaḥ — Vasudeva–Kṛṣṇa–Subhadrā–Kuntī śoka-saṃvāda
Disclosure and Consolation
ततः सेनापतिरभूद् द्रोणो<स्त्रविदुषां वर: । प्रवीर: कौरवेन्द्रस्य काव्यो दैत्यपतेरिव
tataḥ senāpatir abhūd droṇo 'straviduṣāṃ varaḥ | pravīraḥ kauravendrasya kāvyo daityapater iva ||
Alors Droṇa —le plus éminent parmi ceux qui maîtrisent la science des armes— fut nommé commandant de l’armée. Il se dressa comme le champion principal du roi des Kaurava, tel Kāvya (Śukrācārya), précepteur et protecteur du seigneur des Daitya, à la tête de ses troupes.
वासुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
Power in war is not only numerical; it depends on the appointment of the most competent and strategically wise leader. The comparison to Śukrācārya highlights how a single master of counsel and weapons-lore can become the decisive support of a ruler’s enterprise, raising ethical questions about how knowledge is used in service of a cause.
After a prior development in the conflict, Droṇa—renowned as the foremost knower of weaponry—is made the commander-in-chief of the Kaurava forces. The text likens his role to that of Kāvya (Śukrācārya) guiding and safeguarding the Daitya king (Bali), emphasizing Droṇa’s centrality as the Kauravas’ leading warrior and strategist.