Shloka 283
आमिषार्थ महाराज गगने श्येनयोरिव । उन द्रोणाचार्य और पाण्डुपुत्र अर्जुनके पराक्रमको वे सब सैनिक अत्यन्त आश्चर्यचकित होकर देख रहे थे। महाराज! जैसे मांसके टुकड़ेके लिये आकाशमें दो बाज लड़ रहे हों, उसी प्रकार राज्यके लिये उन दोनों गुरु-शिष्योंमें बड़ा भारी युद्ध हो रहा था
āmiṣārtha mahārāja gagane śyenayor iva | droṇācārya-pāṇḍuputra-arjunayoḥ parākramaṃ te sarve sainikā atyantaṃ āścaryacakitāḥ paśyanti sma | mahārāja yathā māṃsa-khaṇḍārthaṃ gaganamadhye dvau śyenau yudhyeyātām tathā rājyārthaṃ tayoḥ guru-śiṣyayor mahān saṃgrāmo 'bhavat |
Sañjaya berkata: Wahai Raja, semua prajurit memandang dengan takjub keberanian Droṇācārya dan Arjuna putra Pāṇḍu. Wahai Mahārāja, bagaikan dua elang bertarung di angkasa demi sepotong daging, demikianlah pertempuran dahsyat berkobar antara guru dan murid itu demi kedaulatan.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical tragedy of war: even a sacred bond like guru and śiṣya can be forced into violent opposition when political ambition and competing duties dominate. It invites reflection on how desire for power (rājya-artha) can turn excellence and loyalty into instruments of destruction.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the assembled warriors are astonished as Droṇa and Arjuna display extraordinary prowess against each other. Their duel is compared to two hawks fighting in the sky over a piece of flesh, emphasizing the ferocity and the high stakes of sovereignty.