Shloka 31
Droṇa-pātana-paripṛcchā (Inquiry into the Fall of Droṇa) | द्रोणपातनपरिपृच्छा
अक्षौहिणीमभ्यधिकां शूराणामनिवर्तिनाम् | निहत्य पश्चाद् धृतिमानगच्छत् परमां गतिम्,धैर्यशाली द्रोणाचार्यने युद्धमें पीठ न दिखानेवाले शूरवीरोंकी एक अक्षौहिणीसे भी अधिक सेनाका संहार करके पीछे स्वयं भी परमगति प्राप्त कर ली
akṣauhiṇīm abhyadhikāṃ śūrāṇām anivartinām | nihatya paścād dhṛtimān agacchat paramāṃ gatim ||
Setelah menewaskan lebih dari satu akṣauhiṇī para pahlawan yang tak pernah mundur dari pertempuran, sang tabah itu kemudian mencapai keadaan tertinggi.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights steadfastness (dhṛti) and uncompromising martial resolve, while implicitly confronting the ethical burden of war: even ‘heroic’ duty can entail immense destruction, and the epic invites reflection on whether glory can outweigh the suffering caused.
Sañjaya reports that Droṇācārya, after causing the slaughter of more than an akṣauhiṇī of unretreating warriors, subsequently reached ‘paramā gati’—a supreme end—marking the close of his violent role in the battle narrative.