Shloka 15
Droṇanidhana-anantaraṃ sainya-viṣādaḥ and Karṇa-pravṛttiḥ
After Droṇa’s fall: army despondency and Karṇa’s advance
त॑ द्रोणं निहतं श्रुत्वा धृष्टद्युम्नेन संयुगे । सत्यसंध॑ महेष्वासं भृशं मे व्यथितं मन:
taṁ droṇaṁ nihataṁ śrutvā dhṛṣṭadyumnena saṁyuge | satyasaṁdhaṁ maheṣvāsaṁ bhṛśaṁ me vyathitaṁ manaḥ ||
ધૃતરાષ્ટ્ર બોલ્યા—યુદ્ધમાં ધૃષ્ટદ્યુમ્નના હાથે સત્યસંકલ્પ, મહાધનુર્ધર દ્રોણાચાર્યનો વધ થયો એમ સાંભળીને મારું મન અત્યંત વ્યથિત થયું છે।
धृतराष्ट उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how the death of a revered, vow-steadfast teacher in war destabilizes moral confidence: even when victory is pursued, the means and the targets can leave lasting ethical anguish. Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s shaken mind reflects the inner cost of a war where dharma becomes contested and grief follows even ‘justified’ outcomes.
Dhṛtarāṣṭra hears that Droṇa, the great archer and commander, has been killed in battle by Dhṛṣṭadyumna. He reacts with intense distress, signaling the magnitude of Droṇa’s fall for the Kaurava side and the emotional and moral shock it produces.