Shloka 26
दुर्योधन-कर्ण-संवादः
Duryodhana–Karna Dialogue on Vyūha-bheda and Daiva
धष्टकेतुश्न चेदीनामृूष भोडतिबलोदित: । वधायाभ्यद्रवद् द्रोणं पतड़ इव पावकम्,अत्यन्त बलसम्पन्न चेदिराज धुृष्टकेतु द्रोणाचार्यका वध करनेके लिये उनकी ओर उसी प्रकार दौड़ा, जैसे फतिंगा आगपर टूट पड़ता है
Dhṛṣṭaketuś ca cedīnām ṛṣabho ’tibalodyataḥ | vadhāyābhyadravad droṇaṁ pataṅga iva pāvakam ||
Sañjaya dit : Dhṛṣṭaketu, le premier des Cedis, d’une puissance extrême et tout entier soulevé, se rua sur Droṇa avec l’intention de le tuer, tel un papillon de nuit se jetant dans un brasier.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how intense martial duty and resolve can propel a warrior toward peril without hesitation. Ethically, it points to the tragic ambiguity of dharma in war: courage and loyalty may be admirable, yet they can also lead to self-destructive action when directed by wrath, obligation, or the momentum of battle.
Sañjaya describes Dhṛṣṭaketu, leader among the Cedis, charging straight at Droṇa intending to kill him. The comparison to a moth rushing into fire emphasizes both Dhṛṣṭaketu’s fearless determination and the deadly, almost inescapable danger of confronting Droṇa at this stage of the battle.