Shloka 416
वासवी-शक्तेः प्रयोगः, घटोत्कच-वधोत्तर-शोकः, व्यासोपदेशश्च
The Vāsavī Spear’s Use, Post-Ghaṭotkaca Grief, and Vyāsa’s Counsel
व्यधमत् पाण्डुसैन्यानि तूलराशिमिवानल: । राजन्! तदनन्तर भरद्वाजनन्दन द्रोणका पाण्डवोंके साथ पुनः युद्ध आरम्भ हुआ। आपके पुत्रोंने द्रोणाचार्यको सब ओरसे घेर रखा था। जैसे आग रूईके ढेरको जला देती है, उसी प्रकार वे पाण्डव-सेनाको तहस-नहस करने लगे
vyadhamat pāṇḍusainyāni tūlarāśim ivānalaḥ | rājan, tadanantaraṃ bharadvājanandana-droṇena pāṇḍavaiḥ saha punaḥ yuddham ārabhyata | tava putraiḥ droṇācāryaḥ sarvataḥ parivāritaḥ | yathā agniḥ tūlasya rāśiṃ dahati, tathā sa pāṇḍava-senāṃ nirdhūnvan vyadhamat |
Sañjaya berkata—Wahai Raja, setelah itu Droṇa, putra Bharadvāja, kembali memulai pertempuran melawan para Pāṇḍava. Putra-putramu mengepung Droṇācārya dari segala arah; namun, laksana api melalap setumpuk kapas, demikianlah ia menghantam dan menghamburkan bala Pāṇḍava hingga porak-poranda.
सयजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse uses a stark simile—fire consuming cotton—to show how quickly violence can overwhelm even a great host. Ethically, it highlights the terrifying momentum of war: once unleashed, martial skill and rage can reduce human lives to something as fragile as cotton, urging reflection on restraint and the cost of adharma-driven conflict.
Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Droṇa, though surrounded by the Kauravas’ own warriors on all sides in the press of battle, renews combat with the Pāṇḍavas and powerfully scatters their troops, devastating them as fire burns through a cotton pile.