Shloka 3
तस्समिन्नाक्रुश्यति द्रोणे समक्ष पापकर्मणा । नीचात्मना नृशंसेन क्षुद्रेण गुरुघातिना
tasminn ākruśyati droṇe samakṣaṃ pāpakarmaṇā | nīcātmanā nṛśaṃsena kṣudreṇa gurughātinā ||
Dhṛtarāṣṭra dit : «Lorsque Droṇa était voué aux insultes en face, il fut accablé par un homme aux actes pécheurs — vil d’âme, cruel, mesquin, et meurtrier de son propre maître. La scène dévoile non seulement la brutalité de la guerre, mais un effondrement moral plus profond, où le respect dû au guru et la simple décence sont rejetés.»
धृतराष्ट उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse condemns adharma expressed as open abuse and cruelty, especially when directed at a revered teacher. It highlights that moral failure is not only in physical violence but also in speech and attitude—pettiness, mercilessness, and betrayal of the guru are portrayed as grave ethical degradations.
Dhṛtarāṣṭra describes a moment in the war narrative where Droṇa is openly reviled in his presence. The abuser is characterized with a string of moral judgments—sinful, base, cruel, petty, and ‘gurughātin’—underscoring the intensity of hostility and the breakdown of traditional respect for teachers amid the conflict.