Character

Drona

द्रोणDroṇa

Also called Dronacharya

verses
3,009
books
16
chapters
572
Parent of
Ashwatthama
Teacher of
Arjuna

What the texts say

In the Mahabharata, Drona is the son of the sage Bharadvaja, born from his father's seed that developed in a vessel called a drona. Mahabharata 1.57.89 Drona trained the Pandavas in weapons, and Arjuna, the son of Pandu, became pre-eminent among his pupils. Mahabharata 1.154.20Mahabharata (Gita Press) 1.132.13 Ekalavya, son of the Nishada king Hiranyadhanus, approached Drona, who asked for his right thumb as a fee. Mahabharata 1.123.10, 1.123.35 Later, the kings led by Duryodhana consecrated Drona as commander. Mahabharata 7.5.37 The opening summary of the Mahabharata recalls the teacher Drona as slain by Dhrishtadyumna, having laid aside his weapons. Mahabharata (Gita Press) 1.1.201

Where to read

Every verse that names Drona, book by book.

  1. Mahabharata

    2,825 verses · 495 chapters

    All 2,825 verses in the Mahabharata

    Also in the Gita Press edition: 3,418 verses

    • 7.165.33

      Jab yeh baat hui, Dron ne woh dhanush rakh diya. Bhim ne choda tha use. Dron ne saare hathiyar rakhne ka socha. Phir bola, Karna, Karna! Krip! Duryodhan!

    • 1.123.24

      Ekalavya ne kaha, main Hiranyadhanush ka beta hoon. Woh Nishad logon ka raja tha. Aur main Drona ka shishya hoon. Maine dhanurvidya mein bahut mehnat ki hai.

    • 7.164.5

      Phir Parshat ne Dushasan ko teeron se peeche kar diya. Woh hazaron teer chala ke Dron ke paas battle mein badha.

  2. Skanda Purana

    69 verses · 13 chapters

    All 69 verses in the Skanda Purana
    • 1.2.66.6

      Drona ne kaha pandrah din mein. Ashvatthama ne kaha das din mein. Karna ne kaha chhah din mein. In sabki baat sun ke mujhe hamesha dar lagta tha.

    • 2.4.15.22

      Dhishana ko pata chala ki Daitya ne Drona parvat le liya hai. Woh darr gaya. Saans chad gayi. Door se aake chillaya.

    • 3.1.18.36

      Uske baad aur paanch din tak yudh hua. Drona, jo bade guru the, unmein bada bal tha. Woh Dhristadyumna se ladhe.

  3. Bhagavatam

    25 verses · 14 chapters

    All 25 verses in the Bhagavatam
    • 1.7.14

      Kurukshetra ki ladai mein Kaurav aur Pandav dono taraf ke log mar gaye. Bhima ne Duryodhan ko itna maara ki uski kamar toot gayi. Drona ka beta Ashwatthama ne Draupadi ke paanch beton ko sote hue maara. Usne unke sar kaat kar Duryodhan ke…

    • 1.8.11

      Suta ne kaha ki Drauni ne astra chhod diya. Drauni matlab Drona ka beta Ashwatthama tha. Usne astra chhoda taaki Pandavon ka aakhri aadmi bhi khatam ho jaye. Draupadi ne Krishna se yeh baat kahi. Krishna ne uski baat dhyan se suni. Woh…

    • 1.15.15

      Mere bhagwan Krishna aage chal rahe the. Bheeshm, Karn, Dron, Shalya jaise bade yoddha the. Unki sena bahut strong thi, rath aur sab kuch perfect lag raha tha. Lekin Krishna sabse aage tha. Woh sabki jaan, dimaag aur taakat le gaya. Itne…

  4. Shiva Purana

    17 verses · 5 chapters

    • 3.36.10

      Shambhu ki baat sunke Drona jhuk gaya. Usne kaha, mujhe ek beta dena. Aapka hi ansh ho, bahut taakat wala. Koi usse hara na paaye.

    • 2.5.15.55

      Us daitya ne zor se Drona ko pakda aur use samundar mein phenk diya. Yeh badi baat thi kyunki Drona ka tej aasaan se khatam nahi hota tha.

    • 3.38.53

      Indra ne kaha, tumhare dushman bahut taakatwar hain. Duryodhan unka leader hai. Dron, Bheem, Karn, sab hi jeetna mushkil hai. Koi bhi unhe hara nahi paaega.

Also named in

Key chapters

The chapters where Drona matters most.

  1. Droṇa’s Withdrawal, Death, and the Kaurava Rout (द्रोणनिधन-प्रसङ्गः)

    Mahabharata 7.165 · 82 verses

    Central figure whose inner renunciation intersects with…

  2. Adhyāya 123 · Droṇa’s Pedagogy: Arjuna’s Preeminence, Ekalavya’s Self-Training, and the Bhāsa-Lakṣya Trial

    Mahabharata 1.123 · 62 verses

    Guru and gatekeeper of martial knowledge

  3. Droṇavadha-saṃniveśaḥ: The Convergence Toward Droṇa’s Fall (Book 7, Chapter 164)

    Mahabharata 7.164 · 92 verses

    Overwhelming battlefield force whose inner collapse becomes the…

  4. Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 47: Abhimanyu’s rapid exchanges, counsel to disable his chariot-system

    Mahabharata 7.47 · 14 verses

    Commanding tactician and moral pivot: articulates the method to…

  5. Droṇa-Drupada Saṃvāda and Droṇa’s Reception at the Kuru Court (द्रोण-द्रुपद-संवादः; कुरुनगरप्रवेशः)

    Mahabharata 1.122 · 38 verses

    Wronged Brahmin-warrior whose wounded honor redirects him…

  6. Drona’s Mantra-Bound Armor for Duryodhana

    Mahabharata 7.69 · 37 verses

    Preceptor-commander balancing vow, strategy, and ritual…

  7. Rebuke of Duḥśāsana; Context of the Droṇa-Dhṛṣṭadyumna Combat

    Mahabharata 7.98 · 33 verses

    Kaurava commander-teacher who enforces morale through…

  8. Abhimanyu’s Prowess and the Duḥśāsana Engagement

    Mahabharata 7.38 · 9 verses

    Commanding observer and evaluator of martial excellence

  9. Droṇānīka-praveśa: Arjuna’s respectful appeal to Droṇa and renewed advance toward Jayadratha (द्रोणानीकप्रवेशः)

    Mahabharata 7.66 · 30 verses

    Kaurava commander and guru who tests Arjuna’s resolve while…

  10. Droṇa Appointed Commander-in-Chief

    Mahabharata 7.5 · 26 verses

    Reluctant-turned-resolute institutional authority: the guru…

Key episodes

  1. The Gita Begins: Arjuna's Despair on the Battlefield

    Bhagavad Gita 1-2

  2. Ekalavya and Drona

    Mahabharata 1.123

  3. Arjuna and the Bird on the Tree

    Mahabharata 1.123

  4. Abhimanyu and the Chakravyuha

    Mahabharata 7.33-7.48

  5. "Ashvatthama Is Dead": The Fall of Drona

    Mahabharata 7.164-7.165

Also known to Wikipedia · Wikidata Q890529