Shloka 16
द्रोणविक्रमदर्शनम् / The Display of Droṇa’s Onslaught and the Debate on Pāṇḍava Regrouping
ततः सत्यजितक्चापं छित्त्वा द्रोणो वृकस्य च । षड्भि: ससूतं सहयं शरैद्रोणो5वधीद् वृकम्,आचार्य द्रोणने सत्यजित् और वृक दोनोंके धनुष काटकर छ: बाणोंद्वारा उन्होंने सारथि और घोड़ोंसहित वृकको मार डाला
tataḥ satyajitaś cāpaṃ chittvā droṇo vṛkasya ca | ṣaḍbhiḥ sasūtaṃ sahayaṃ śarair droṇo ’vadhīd vṛkam ||
Sañjaya dit : Alors Droṇa trancha les arcs de Satyajit et de Vṛka. De six flèches, il tua Vṛka avec son cocher et ses chevaux — épisode qui montre comment, dans l’élan impitoyable du combat, la maîtrise des armes tranche vite entre la vie et la mort.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the stark ethics of battlefield duty (kṣatriya-dharma): in war, strategic superiority and precision can end a combatant’s life instantly, and the narrative invites reflection on the heavy moral weight of such decisive violence.
Droṇa first disables the opponents by cutting their bows; then he kills Vṛka with six arrows, and Vṛka falls along with his charioteer and horses—indicating a complete destruction of the chariot-unit.