Shloka 4
द्रोणपर्व (अध्याय १) — भीष्मनिधनानन्तरं धृतराष्ट्रस्य शोकः, सेनायाः स्थितिः, कर्णस्मरणं च
Droṇa Parva, Chapter 1: Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s grief after Bhīṣma’s fall and the army’s reorientation toward Karṇa
तस्मिन् हते तु भगवन् केतौ सर्वधनुष्मताम् | यदचेष्टत कौरव्यस्तन्मे ब्रूहि तपोधन,भगवन्! तपोधन! सम्पूर्ण धनुर्धरोंके ध्वजस्वरूप भीष्मजीके मारे जानेपर कुरुवंशी दुर्योधनने जो प्रयत्न किया हो, वह सब मुझे बताइये
tasmin hate tu bhagavan ketau sarva-dhanuṣmatām | yad aceṣṭata kauravyas tan me brūhi tapodhana ||
O revered sage, when Bhīṣma—who stood like the very banner of all master-archers—had been slain, what efforts did Duryodhana of the Kuru line undertake? Tell me, O ascetic rich in austerity. (Janamejaya asks to understand how the Kaurava leadership responded after the fall of their foremost protector and emblem, a moment that tests resolve, strategy, and adherence to dharma amid war.)
जनमेजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a dharmic and ethical pressure point in war: when a revered elder and chief protector falls, the remaining leaders are tested—whether their subsequent actions arise from righteous duty, desperation, or pride. It frames inquiry into responsibility and conduct under crisis.
Janamejaya questions the sage about the Kaurava response after Bhishma’s fall, specifically asking what Duryodhana attempted next. This sets up the transition into the Drona Parva, where command and strategy shift following Bhishma’s removal from the battlefield.