Shloka 14
Rātri-yuddhe Droṇasya prahāraḥ — Bhīmasenasya dhārtarāṣṭra-śūrānām nigrahaḥ
Night Battle: Droṇa’s Assault and Bhīma’s Suppression of Dhārtarāṣṭra Warriors
यदा तु विशिखैस्ती&णैद्रोणचापविनि:सृतै: । वध्यन्ते समरे वीरा: शतशो5थ सहस्रश:
yadā tu viśikhaiḥ tīrṇai droṇacāpaviniḥsṛtaiḥ | vadhyante samare vīrāḥ śataśo 'tha sahasraśaḥ ||
Sañjaya berkata: Ketika para pahlawan di medan laga ditewaskan—ratusan, lalu ribuan—oleh anak panah tajam yang melesat dari busur Droṇa, tampaklah kedahsyatan kemahiran perang dan beratnya harga moral ketika kemahiran itu berubah menjadi pembantaian.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores how extraordinary martial skill, when exercised in war, results in mass death; it implicitly invites reflection on the ethical weight of kṣatriya action—prowess and duty on one side, and the immense human cost on the other.
Sañjaya describes the battlefield scene where Droṇa’s arrows, released from his bow, are killing warriors in vast numbers—hundreds and thousands—emphasizing Droṇa’s overwhelming effectiveness and the escalating carnage.