Shloka 55
Droṇavadha-saṃniveśaḥ — The Convergence Toward Droṇa’s Fall
Book 7, Chapter 164
भीमस्य निष्नतः शत्रून् पार्ष्णि जग्राह पाण्डव: । द्रोणो5पि पाण्डुपज्चालान् व्यधमद् रजनीमुखे
sañjaya uvāca
bhīmasya niṣnataḥ śatrūn pārṣṇi jagrāha pāṇḍavaḥ |
droṇo 'pi pāṇḍupañcālān vyadhamad rajanīmukhe ||
Sañjaya berkata: “Ketika Bhīma sibuk menumpas para musuh, sang Pāṇḍava (Arjuna) mencengkeram lawan pada tumitnya. Dan Droṇa pun, saat malam mulai turun, menghantam jatuh pasukan Pāṇḍava dan Pañcāla.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the harsh moral atmosphere of war: even as one hero (Bhīma) performs decisive slaughter, another (the Pāṇḍava/Arjuna) executes a tactical capture, while Droṇa simultaneously inflicts heavy losses. It reflects how kṣatriya-duty in battle can drive relentless action, especially as time pressure (nightfall) heightens urgency and severity.
Sañjaya reports concurrent battlefield events: Bhīma is cutting down enemies; the Pāṇḍava (typically Arjuna) grabs an opponent by the heel (a vivid image of close-quarters control or dragging down); and Droṇa, as dusk arrives, attacks and overwhelms the Pāṇḍavas and their Pañcāla allies.