Mahabharata 7.21.11 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 21, Shloka 11
द्रोणविक्रमदर्शनम् / The Display of Droṇa’s Onslaught and the Debate on Pāṇḍava Regrouping
स शीघ्रतरमादाय धनुरन्यत् प्रतापवान् | द्रोणमभ्यहनद् राजंस्त्रिंशता कड़गकपत्रिभि:
sa śīghrataram ādāya dhanur anyat pratāpavān | droṇam abhyahanad rājan triṃśatā kaṅkapatribhiḥ ||
Wahai Raja, ketika busurnya tertebas, Satyajit yang gagah segera meraih busur lain dan menghantam Droṇa dengan tiga puluh anak panah berbulukan bulu bangau, menorehkan luka yang dalam.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the harsh ethical tension of dharma in war: even a revered teacher like Droṇa becomes a legitimate target once he stands as an armed commander. Martial excellence and unwavering resolve are portrayed as decisive, yet the scene implicitly reminds the listener that battlefield duty can force actions that would be morally unthinkable in peaceful contexts.
Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that a powerful warrior quickly takes up a second bow and strikes Droṇa with thirty arrows fitted with kaṅka-bird feathers, indicating an intense exchange and a momentary advantage against Droṇa.
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