Shloka 676
धृष्टद्युम्नो&वधीद् द्रोणं रथतल्पे नरर्षभम् । अर्जुन तो दयावश चिल्लाते हुए धृष्टद्युम्मके पास आने लगे। परंतु उनके तथा अन्य सब राजाओंके पुकारते रहनेपर भी धृष्टद्युम्नने रथकी बैठकमें नरश्रेष्ठ द्रोणका वध कर ही डाला
sañjaya uvāca | dhṛṣṭadyumno ’vadhīd droṇaṃ rathatalpe nararṣabham |
Sañjaya dit : Dhṛṣṭadyumna tua Droṇa, taureau parmi les hommes, alors qu’il gisait sur le siège du char. Arjuna, saisi de compassion, accourut vers Dhṛṣṭadyumna en criant ; mais, bien que lui et bien d’autres rois l’implorassent d’arrêter, Dhṛṣṭadyumna accomplit néanmoins la mise à mort de Droṇa sur le char même—un acte qui oppose la logique implacable de la guerre aux exigences de la miséricorde et de la retenue juste.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the moral tension in war: even revered figures may be slain when the conflict hardens hearts and strategy overrides restraint. Arjuna’s compassion represents the pull of dharma as mercy and propriety, while Dhṛṣṭadyumna’s act shows how vengeance and perceived necessity can eclipse those ideals, leaving an ethically fraught victory.
Sañjaya reports that Dhṛṣṭadyumna kills Droṇa on the chariot-seat. Arjuna, out of pity, rushes toward Dhṛṣṭadyumna, and other kings call out, but Dhṛṣṭadyumna does not stop and completes the killing.