Adhyaya 108

Verse 1

भी्नआ+ज () अमन षर्डाधिकभशततमोब< ध्याय: द्रोण और उनकी सेनाके साथ पाण्डव-सेनाका स द्ध तथा द्रोणाचार्यके साथ युद्ध करते समय रथ-भंग जानेपर युधिष्ठिरका पलायन ध्ृतराष्ट्र उवाच अर्जुने सैन्धवं प्राप्ते भारद्वाजेन संवृता: । पंचाला: कुरुभि: सार्थ किमकुर्वत संजय,धृतराष्ट्रने पूछा--संजय! जब अर्जुन सिन्धुराज जयद्रथके समीप पहुँच गये, तब द्रोणाचार्यद्वारा रोके हुए पाड्चाल-सैनिकोंने कौरवोंके साथ क्या किया?

Dhṛtarāṣṭra said: “Sañjaya, when Arjuna had reached the Sindhu-king (Jayadratha), what did the Pañcālas—held in check by Bhāradvāja’s son (Droṇa)—do together with the Kurus?”

Verse 2

संजय उवाच अपराह्न महाराज संग्रामे लोमहर्षणे । पज्चालानां कुरूणां च द्रोणद्यूतमवर्तत,संजय कहते हैं--महाराज! उस दिन अपराह्न-कालमें, जब रोमांचकारी युद्ध चल रहा था, पांचालों और कौरवोंमें द्रोणाचार्यको दाँवपर रखकर द्यूत-सा होने लगा

Sañjaya said: O King, in the afternoon, while the battle raged in a hair-raising fury, a gamble-like contest arose between the Pāñcālas and the Kurus—one in which Droṇa himself became the stake. The scene suggests a grim ethical inversion: in the heat of war, a revered teacher is treated as an object to be won or lost, revealing how conflict can erode reverence and restraint.

Verse 3

पज्चाला हि जिधघांसन्तो द्रोणं संहृष्टचेतस: । अभ्यमुजञ्चन्त गर्जन्त: शरवर्षाणि मारिष,माननीय नरेश! पांचाल-सैनिक द्रोणको मार डालनेकी इच्छासे प्रसन्नचित्त होकर गर्जना करते हुए उनके ऊपर बाणोंकी वर्षा करने लगे

Sañjaya said: The Pañcālas, intent on slaying Droṇa, their minds exultant, roared aloud and poured down showers of arrows upon him—O venerable one, O honored king. The verse highlights the war’s fierce momentum: collective zeal and the desire to kill overwhelm restraint, showing how martial success can inflame the mind and intensify violence.

Verse 4

ततस्तु तुमुलस्तेषां संग्रामो<वर्तताद्भुत: । पज्चालानां कुरूणां च घोरो देवासुरोपम:,तदनन्तर उन पांचालों और कौरवोंमें घोर देवासुर-संग्रामके समान अद्भुत एवं भयंकर युद्ध होने लगा

Sañjaya said: Then, between the Pāñcālas and the Kurus, a tumultuous battle arose—marvellous in its scale yet dreadful—like the legendary clash of gods and demons. The scene signals how warfare, once unleashed, swells beyond restraint, turning human rivalry into a near-cosmic catastrophe with grave moral weight.

Verse 5

सर्वे द्रोणरथं प्राप्प पज्चाला: पाण्डवै: सह । तदनीकं बिभित्सन्तो महास्त्राणि व्यदर्शयन्‌,समस्त पांचाल पाण्डवोंके साथ द्रोणाचार्यके रथके समीप जाकर उनकी सेनाके व्यूहका भेदन करनेकी इच्छासे बड़े-बड़े अस्त्रोंका प्रदर्शन करने लगे

Sañjaya said: Then all the Pāñcālas, together with the Pāṇḍavas, drew near to Droṇa’s chariot. Intent on breaking through that battle-array and disrupting his host, they began to display and unleash mighty weapons—an escalation driven by urgency and the grim ethics of war, where tactical necessity presses warriors toward ever more destructive means.

Verse 6

द्रोणस्य रथपर्यन्तं रथिनो रथमास्थिता: । कम्पयन्तो<भ्यवर्तन्त वेगमास्थाय मध्यमम्‌,वे पांचाल रथी रथपर बैठकर मध्यम वेगका आश्रय ले पृथ्वीको कँपाते हुए टद्रोणाचार्यके रथके अत्यन्त निकट जाकर उनका सामना करने लगे

Sañjaya said: The warriors, mounted on their chariots, advanced up to the very edge of Droṇa’s chariot. Moving at a measured, middle pace, they pressed forward so forcefully that the earth seemed to tremble, and they closed in to confront Droṇācārya at close quarters—an image of disciplined aggression within the relentless ethics of battlefield duty.

Verse 7

तमभ्ययादू बृहत्क्षत्र: केकयानां महारथ: । प्रवपन्‌ निशितान्‌ बाणान्‌ महेन्द्राशनिसंनिभान्‌,केकयदेशके महारथी वीर बृहत्क्षत्रने महेन्द्रके वज़्के समान तीखे बाणोंकी वर्षा करते हुए वहाँ द्रोणाचार्यपर धावा किया

Sañjaya said: Then the great chariot-warrior Bṛhatkṣatra of the Kekayas charged forward, showering sharp arrows that were like Indra’s thunderbolt. The scene underscores the relentless momentum of battle, where personal valor and martial duty drive warriors to decisive, often perilous action.

Verse 8

तंतु प्रत्युद्ययौ शीघ्र क्षेमधूर्तिमहायशा: । विमुज्चन्‌ निशितान्‌ बाणान्‌ शतशो5थ सहस्रश:,उस समय महायशस्वी क्षेमधूर्ति सैकड़ों और हजारों तीखे बाण छोड़ते हुए शीघ्रतापूर्वक बृहत्क्षत्रका सामना करनेके लिये गये

Sañjaya said: Then the illustrious Kṣemadhūrti swiftly advanced to meet him, releasing sharp arrows—by the hundreds and then by the thousands—pressing the battle forward with relentless force.

Verse 9

धेष्टकेतुश्न चेदीनामृषभोडतिबलोदित: । त्वरितो< भ्यद्रवद्‌ द्रोणं महेन्द्र इव शम्बरम्‌,अत्यन्त बलसे विख्यात चेदिराज धृष्टकेतुने भी बड़ी उतावलीके साथ द्रोणाचार्यपर धावा किया, मानो देवराज इन्द्रने शम्बरासुरपर चढ़ाई की हो

Sañjaya said: Dhṛṣṭaketu, the foremost bull among the Cedis, exceedingly mighty and roused to action, rushed swiftly at Droṇa—like Mahendra (Indra) charging against the demon Śambara. The verse frames the assault through a divine simile, highlighting the warrior’s ardor and the escalating moral tension of battle where prowess and duty collide amid relentless violence.

Verse 10

तमापतन्तं सहसा व्यादितास्यमिवान्तकम्‌ | वीरधन्वा महेष्वासस्त्वरमाण: समभ्ययात्‌,मुँह बाये हुए कालके समान सहसा आक्रमण करनेवाले धृष्टकेतुका सामना करनेके लिये महाधनुर्धर वीरधन्वा बड़े वेगसे आ पहुँचे

Sañjaya said: Seeing him rushing in suddenly—like Death itself with gaping jaws—Vīradhvan, the great archer, hurried forward at speed to confront the oncoming attacker. The scene underscores the relentless, death-haunted momentum of battle, where courage and duty drive warriors to meet peril head-on.

Verse 11

युधिष्ठटिरं महाराजं जिगीषुं समवस्थितम्‌ । सहानीकं ततो दोणो न्‍्यवारयत वीर्यवान्‌,तदनन्तर पराक्रमी द्रोणाचार्यने विजयकी इच्छासे सेनासहित खड़े हुए महाराज युधिष्ठिरको आगे बढ़नेसे रोक दिया

Sañjaya said: Then the mighty Droṇa checked King Yudhiṣṭhira—who stood ready with his troops, intent on victory—preventing him from advancing. In the ethical tension of battle, the verse highlights how even a righteous king’s resolve is met by the opposing commander’s duty-bound resistance, where personal virtue and martial obligation collide on the field.

Verse 12

नकुलं कुशल युद्धे पराक्रान्तं पराक्रमी । अभ्यगच्छत्‌ समायान्तं विकर्णस्ते सुत: प्रभो

Sañjaya said: O lord, your son Vikarṇa—himself a valiant warrior—advanced to meet Nakula, who was skilled in battle and coming forward with great prowess. The scene underscores how, amid the moral strain of fratricidal war, personal courage and martial duty drive kinsmen to confront one another without hesitation.

Verse 13

प्रभो! आपके पराक्रमी पुत्र विकर्णने वहाँ आते हुए पराक्रमशाली युद्धकुशल नकुलका सामना किया ।। सहदेवं तथा<<यान्तं दुर्मुख: शत्रुकर्षण: । शरैरनेकसाहस्रै: समवाकिरदाशुगै:,शत्रुसूदन दुर्मुखने अपने सामने आते हुए सहदेवपर कई हजार बाणोंकी वर्षा की

Sañjaya said: As Sahadeva advanced, Durmukha—renowned for harassing his foes—showered him with many thousands of swift arrows. The scene underscores the relentless momentum of battle, where valor is measured not only by attack but by steadfastness under overwhelming force.

Verse 14

सात्यकिं तु नरव्याघ्रं व्याप्रदत्तस्त्ववारयत्‌ | शरै: सुनिशितैस्तीकषणै: कम्पयन्‌ वै मुहुर्मुहु:,व्याप्रदत्तने अत्यन्त तेज किये हुए तीखे बाणोंद्वारा बारंबार शत्रुसेनाको कम्पित करते हुए वहाँ पुरुषसिंह सात्यकिको आगे बढ़नेसे रोका

Sañjaya said: But Vyāpradatta checked Sātyaki, that tiger among men. With razor-sharp, keen arrows he repeatedly shook and unsettled the opposing host, and thus prevented Sātyaki from pressing forward. The scene underscores how, in war, valor is continually tested by counter-valor, and momentum is restrained not only by strength but by disciplined, relentless resistance.

Verse 15

द्रौपदेयान्‌ नरव्याप्रान्‌ मुडचत: सायकोत्तमान्‌ | संरब्धान्‌ रथिन: श्रेष्ठान्‌ सौमदत्तिरवारयत्‌,मनुष्योंमें व्याप्रके समान पराक्रमी तथा श्रेष्ठ रथी द्रौपदीके पाँचों पुत्र कुपित होकर शत्रुओंपर उत्तम बाणोंकी वर्षा कर रहे थे। सोमदत्तकुमार शलने उन सबको रोक दिया

Verse 16

भीमसेनं तदा क्रुद्धं भीमरूपो भयानक: । प्रत्यवारयदायान्तमार्ष्यशृड्धिर्महारथ:,भयंकर रूपधारी एवं भयानक महारथी ऋष्यशुंग-कुमार अलम्बुषने उस समय क्रोधमें भरकर आते हुए भीमसेनको रोका

Sañjaya said: At that time, as Bhīmasena—enraged—came rushing forward, the dreadful and fearsome great chariot-warrior Ārṣyaśṛṅgi (Alambuṣa, the son of Ṛṣyaśṛṅga), assuming a terrifying form, checked and held him back. In the moral texture of the war, the verse highlights how wrath-driven force is met by deliberate obstruction and counter-force, intensifying the struggle where personal fury and tactical resistance collide.

Verse 17

तयो: समभवद्‌ युद्ध नरराक्षसयोर्मथे । यादृगेव पुरा वृत्तं रामरावणयोरनप,राजन! पूर्वकालमें जिस प्रकार श्रीराम और रावणका संग्राम हुआ था, उसी प्रकार उस रणक्षेत्रमें मानव भीमसेन तथा राक्षस अलम्बुषका युद्ध हुआ

Sañjaya said: Between those two, in the thick of battle, there arose a fight between a man and a rākṣasa. O King, it was like the ancient combat that once took place between Rāma and Rāvaṇa—so, on that battlefield, the human Bhīmasena and the rākṣasa Alambuṣa engaged in war.

Verse 18

ततो युधिष्छिरो द्रोणं नवत्या नतपर्वणाम्‌ | आजप्ने भरतगश्रेष्ठ: सर्वमर्मसु भारत,भरतनन्दन! तदनन्तर भरतभूषण युधिष्ठिरने झुकी हुई गाँठवाले नब्बे बाणोंसे द्रोणाचार्यके सम्पूर्ण मर्मस्थानोंमें आधात किया

Sañjaya said: Then Yudhiṣṭhira, the best of the Bharatas, struck Droṇācārya with ninety arrows whose joints were bent, hitting him in all his vital points. The scene underscores the grim ethic of battle: even the most revered teacher becomes a lawful target once he stands as an armed commander on the battlefield.

Verse 19

त॑ द्रोणग: पञचविंशत्या निजघान स्तनान्तरे । रोषितो भरतश्रेष्ठ कौन्तेयेन यशस्विना,भरतश्रेष्ठ! यशस्वी कुन्तीकुमारके क्रोध दिलानेपर द्रोणाचार्यने उनकी छातीमें पचीस बाण मारे

Sañjaya said: Enraged, Droṇa struck him in the region of the chest with twenty-five arrows—provoked by the illustrious son of Kuntī. The exchange shows how, amid the pressures of battle, anger and retaliation can drive even renowned warriors into ever more violent escalation.

Verse 20

भूय एव तु विंशत्या सायकानां समाचिनोत्‌ | साश्व॒सूतध्वजं द्रोण: पश्यतां सर्वधन्विनाम्‌,फिर द्रोणने सम्पूर्ण धनुर्धरोंके देखते-देखते घोड़े, सारथि और ध्वजसहित युधिष्ठिरको बीस बाण मारे

Sañjaya said: Then again Droṇa, before the eyes of all the bowmen, struck (the king) with twenty arrows, so that his horses, charioteer, and banner were all hit as well. The scene underscores the ruthless precision of battlefield skill—where prowess is displayed publicly, and the ethical tension of war appears in the targeting of the chariot’s supports along with the warrior.

Verse 21

तान्‌ शरान्‌ द्रोणमुक्तांस्तु शरवर्षेण पाण्डव: । अवारयत धर्मात्मा दर्शयन्‌ पाणिलाघवम्‌,धर्मात्मा पाण्डुनन्दन युधिष्ठिरने अपने हाथोंकी फुर्ती दिखाते हुए द्रोणाचार्यके छोड़े हुए उन बाणोंको अपनी बाण-वर्षाद्वारा रोक दिया

Sañjaya said: The righteous Pāṇḍava (Yudhiṣṭhira), displaying the swift skill of his hands, checked those arrows released by Droṇa by showering a counter-volley of his own. Even amid the violence of battle, his conduct is framed as dharmic—disciplined, controlled, and purposeful rather than reckless.

Verse 22

ततो द्रोणो भृशं क्रुद्धो धर्मराजस्य संयुगे । चिच्छेद समरे धन्वी धनुस्तस्य महात्मन:,तब धनुर्धर द्रोणाचार्य उस युद्धस्थलमें महात्मा धर्मराज युधिष्ठिरपर अत्यन्त कुपित हो उठे। उन्होंने समरांगणमें युधिष्ठिरके धनुषको काट दिया ॥ 77४ ७ ४87. ९

Then Droṇa, inflamed with intense anger against Dharmarāja in the thick of battle, the bowman, in the midst of the fight, cut down the bow of that great-souled king. The moment underscores how wrath can drive even eminent warriors to target an opponent’s capacity to act, turning the contest into a test of restraint and steadfastness amid dharma’s pressures in war.

Verse 23

अथीनं छिन्नधन्वानं त्वरमाणो महारथ: । शरैरनेकसाहसी: पूरयामास सर्वतः,धनुष काट देनेके पश्चात्‌ महारथी द्रोणाचार्यने बड़ी उतावलीके साथ कई हजार बाणोंकी वर्षा करके उन्हें सब ओरसे ढक दिया

Sañjaya said: Then the great chariot-warrior, acting in haste, showered him—now deprived of his bow—with countless shafts, filling and covering him from every side. The scene underscores the ruthless momentum of battle, where advantage is pressed immediately and the fallen are given little respite.

Verse 24

अदृश्यं वीक्ष्य राजानं भारद्वाजस्य सायकै: । सर्वभूतान्यमन्यन्त हतमेव युधिषछ्िरम्‌,राजा युधिष्ठिरको द्रोणाचार्यके बाणोंसे अदृश्य हुआ देख समस्त प्राणियोंने उन्हें मारा गया ही मान लिया

Sañjaya said: Seeing King Yudhiṣṭhira become invisible—lost to sight amid the arrows of Bhāradvāja’s son (Droṇa)—all beings concluded that he had surely been slain. The moment captures how, in the fog of war, perception hardens into certainty, and rumor and fear can eclipse truth, intensifying the moral pressure upon leaders and armies alike.

Verse 25

केचिच्चैनममन्यन्त तथैव विमुखीकृतम्‌ । हतो राजेति राजेन्द्र ब्राह्मणेन महात्मना,राजेन्द्र! कुछ लोग ऐसा समझते थे कि युधिष्ठिर पराजित होकर भाग गये। कुछ लोगोंकी यही धारणा थी कि महामनस्वी ब्राह्मण द्रोणाचार्यके हाथसे राजा युधिष्ठिर मार डाले गये

Sañjaya said: Some thought that he (Yudhiṣṭhira) had been routed and driven to turn away in flight. Others, O best of kings, believed that the king had been slain by the great-souled brāhmaṇa (Droṇa). The report reveals how, amid the confusion of battle, perception and rumor eclipse certainty, and how the fall of a righteous ruler becomes an ethical shock that unsettles the whole field.

Verse 26

स कृच्छूं परम॑ प्राप्तो धर्मराजो युधिष्ठिर: । त्यक्त्वा तत्‌ कार्मुकं छिन्न॑ भारद्वाजेन संयुगे

Sañjaya said: King Yudhiṣṭhira, steadfast in dharma, was driven into extreme distress on the battlefield; for his bow had been cut down in the fight by Bhāradvāja (Droṇa), and he was forced to abandon it—an image of the righteous king brought low by the harsh necessities and reversals of war.

Verse 27

ततस्तान्‌ सायकांस्तत्र द्रोणनुन्नानू सहस्रश:

Sañjaya said: Then, on that battlefield, those arrows—driven forth by Droṇa—were released in their thousands, intensifying the violence of the encounter and underscoring how a single master of arms can magnify the scale of destruction in war.

Verse 28

छित्त्वा तु तान्‌ शरान्‌ राजन्‌ क्रोधसंरक्तलोचन:

Sañjaya said: “O King, having cut down those arrows, with eyes reddened by wrath…”

Verse 29

शक्ति जग्राह समरे गिरीणामपि दारिणीम्‌ । स्वर्णदण्डां महाघोरामष्टघण्टां भयावहाम्‌

Sañjaya said: In the midst of battle, he seized a śakti-weapon—so formidable that it could cleave even mountains—its shaft of gold, exceedingly dreadful, fitted with eight bells, and terrifying to behold. The verse underscores how the war’s violence escalates through the deployment of extraordinary weapons, heightening fear and foreboding on the battlefield.

Verse 30

राजन्‌! उस समरांगणमें क्रोधसे लाल आँखें किये युधिष्ठिरने द्रोणके उन बाणोंको काटकर एक शक्ति हाथमें ली, जो पर्वतोंको भी विदीर्ण कर देनेवाली थी। उसमें सोनेका डंडा और आठ घंटियाँ लगी थीं। वह अत्यन्त घोर शक्ति मनमें भय उत्पन्न करनेवाली थी ।। समुत्क्षिप्प च तां हृष्टो ननाद बलवद्‌ बली । नादेन सर्वभूतानि त्रासयन्निव भारत

Sanjaya said: O King, on that battlefield Yudhiṣṭhira, his eyes reddened with wrath, cut down Droṇa’s arrows and seized a spear-weapon in his hand—one capable of rending even mountains. It had a golden shaft and was fitted with eight bells. That exceedingly dreadful śakti seemed to generate fear in the mind. Lifting it up in exhilaration, the mighty warrior roared loudly, as though with that roar he were terrifying all beings, O Bhārata.

Verse 31

भारत! उसे चलाकर हर्षमें भरे हुए बलवान युधिष्ठिरने बड़े जोरसे सिंहनाद किया। उन्होंने उस सिंहनादसे सम्पूर्ण भूतोंमें भय-सा उत्पन्न कर दिया ।। शक्ति समुद्यतां दृष्टवा धर्मराजेन संयुगे । स्वस्ति द्रोणाय सहसा सर्वभूतान्यथाब्रुवन्‌,युद्धस्थलमें धर्मराजके द्वारा उठायी हुई उस शक्तिको देखकर समस्त प्राणी सहसा बोल उठे--'द्रोणाय स्वस्ति (ट्रोणाचार्यका कल्याण हो)”

Seeing the spear-weapon raised aloft by Dharmarāja (Yudhiṣṭhira) in the thick of battle, all beings suddenly cried out together, “May Droṇa be safe; may good befall Droṇācārya.” The moment conveys how the very sight of a formidable weapon in righteous hands can shake the world—yet the spontaneous wish voiced is for the welfare of the revered teacher, revealing the moral tension of war where duty and reverence collide.

Verse 32

सा राजभुजनिर्मुक्ता निर्मुक्तोरगसंनिभा । प्रज्वालयन्ती गगनं दिश: सप्रदिशस्तथा

Sañjaya said: Released from the king’s arm, she—like a serpent newly freed from its slough—blazed forth, seeming to set the sky alight, and the quarters and sub-quarters as well. The image underscores how, in the heat of war, a single unleashed force can become all-consuming, warning that power once let loose is difficult to restrain and may scorch everything around it.

Verse 33

तामापतन्तीं सहसा दृष्टवा द्रोणो विशाम्पते

Sañjaya said: O lord of the people, when Droṇa suddenly saw her rushing down upon him, he became alert to the immediate peril unfolding in the battle’s chaos.

Verse 34

प्रादुश्चक्रे ततो ब्राह्ममस्त्रमस्त्रविदां वर: | प्रजानाथ! तब सहसा आती हुई उस शक्तिको देखकर अस्त्रवेत्ताओंमें श्रेष्ठ द्रोणने ब्रह्मास्त्र प्रकट किया ।। ३३ ह ।। तदस्त्रं भस्मसात्कृत्वा तां शक्ति घोरदर्शनाम्‌

Sañjaya said: Then Droṇa, the foremost among masters of weapons, manifested the Brahmā-weapon. That divine missile reduced to ashes the dreadful, fearsome-looking Śakti that had rushed in suddenly—thus meeting overwhelming force with a higher, restraining counterforce in the midst of war.

Verse 35

ततो युधिष्छिरो राजा द्रोणास्त्रं तत्‌ समुद्यतम्‌

Sañjaya said: Then King Yudhiṣṭhira beheld that Drona-weapon raised and made ready—an ominous escalation in the battle, where the resort to famed celestial arms signals both the desperation of war and the grave moral weight of unleashing power that can exceed ordinary human restraint.

Verse 36

विद्ध्वा तं च रणे द्रोणं पठ्चभिनतपर्वभि:

Sañjaya said: Having struck Droṇa on the battlefield with five arrows whose joints were bent (well-fashioned), he wounded the great commander in the midst of combat—an act that marks both the intensity of the war and the grave moral weight of attacking a revered teacher in the chaos of duty-bound conflict.

Verse 37

तदपास्य धनुश्किन्नं द्रोण: क्षत्रियमर्दन:

Sañjaya said: Having cast aside that bow, now cut, Droṇa—the crusher of warriors—(stood ready to continue the fight). The line underscores the grim resolve of a master of arms who, even when his weapon is broken, does not abandon his martial duty amid the ethical turbulence of war.

Verse 38

गदां चिक्षेप सहसा धर्मपुत्राय मारिष | आर्य! क्षत्रियमर्दन द्रोणने उस कटे हुए धनुषको फेंककर सहसा धर्मपुत्र युधिष्ठिरपर गदा चलायी ।। तामापतन्तीं सहसा गदां दृष्टवा युधिष्ठिर:

Sanjaya said: “O revered one, Drona suddenly hurled a mace at Dharmaputra (Yudhishthira). O noble destroyer of warriors, casting aside his severed bow, Drona in an instant launched the mace toward righteous Yudhishthira. Seeing that mace rushing upon him, Yudhishthira…”

Verse 39

ते गदे सहसा मुक्ते समासाद्य परस्परम्‌

Sañjaya said: When those two maces were suddenly hurled, they met one another head-on, colliding in mid-course—an image of the war’s relentless escalation, where force answers force and the combatants’ resolve hardens into mutual destruction rather than restraint.

Verse 40

! गा रे . -कैकओ ततो द्रोणो भृशं क्रुद्धो धर्मराजस्य मारिष

Sañjaya said: Then Droṇa, exceedingly enraged, turned his wrath toward Dharmarāja (Yudhiṣṭhira), O revered one. The scene underscores how, in the heat of war, even renowned teachers can be driven by anger, and how the conflict increasingly targets the moral center of the Pāṇḍavas.

Verse 41

चतुर्भिनिशितैस्ती&णै्हयान्‌ जघ्ने शरोत्तमै: । माननीय नरेश! तब द्रोणाचार्य अत्यन्त कुपित हो उठे और उन्होंने सानपर चढ़ाकर तेज किये हुए चार तीखे एवं उत्तम बाणोंद्वारा धर्मराजके चारों घोड़ोंको मार डाला ।। ४० ई || चिच्छेदेकेन भल्लेन धनुश्रैन्द्रध्ध्जोपमम्‌

Sanjaya said: “O venerable king, then Droṇācārya, inflamed with intense anger, struck down the four horses of Dharmarāja with four razor-sharp, excellent arrows honed to a keen edge. And with a single broad-headed arrow he severed the bow that was like Indra’s banner.”

Verse 42

हताश्चात्‌ तु रथात्‌ तूर्णमवप्लुत्य युधिषछ्िर:

Sañjaya said: Then Yudhiṣṭhira, shaken and despondent, quickly leapt down from his chariot—an outward sign of inner distress amid the moral weight of the battle.

Verse 43

विरथं तं समालोक्य व्यायुधं च विशेषत:

Sañjaya said: Seeing him there without a chariot and, in particular, without his weapons, the onlookers grasped the gravity of his plight—how swiftly the fortunes of war can strip a warrior of the means to fight, and how such vulnerability tests both the victor’s restraint and the defeated one’s resolve.

Verse 44

मुज्चंश्लेषुगणांस्तीक्ष्णाल्लँंघुहस्तो दृढव्रत:

Sañjaya said: With unwavering resolve and swift hands, he kept releasing volleys of sharp arrows—acting with firm determination amid the press of battle.

Verse 45

तमभिद्रुतमालोक्य द्रोणेनामित्रघातिना

Sañjaya said: Seeing him rushing forward, Drona—the slayer of foes—took note of the oncoming charge, a moment that underscores how, in war, valor and resolve are instantly met by seasoned martial skill, even as the moral weight of violence continues to accumulate on both sides.

Verse 46

हतो राजा हतो राजा भारद्वाजेन मारिष

Sanjaya said: “The king is slain— the king is slain— O noble one, by the son of Bharadvāja.” The cry conveys the shock of a pivotal death in the war, where the fall of a ruler is treated not merely as a tactical event but as a moral and political rupture that intensifies grief, fear, and the sense of irreversible consequence.

Verse 47

इत्यासीत्‌ सुमहाउ्छब्द: पाण्डुसैन्यस्य भारत । भारत! माननीय नरेश! पाण्डुसेनामें यह महान्‌ कोलाहल होने लगा कि *राजा मारे गये, राजा मारे गये' ।। ततस्त्वरितमारुह्म सहदेवरथं नृप: । अपायाज्जवनैरश्वैः कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिर:,तदनन्तर कुन्तीपुत्र राजा युधिष्ठिर तुरंत ही सहदेवके रथपर आरूढ़ हो अपने वेगशाली घोड़ोंद्वारा वहाँसे हट गये

Sañjaya said: “O Bhārata, a tremendous uproar arose in the Pāṇḍava army—‘The king has been slain! The king has been slain!’ Then King Yudhiṣṭhira, Kuntī’s son, quickly mounted Sahadeva’s chariot and withdrew from that place, borne away by swift horses.”

Verse 105

इस प्रकार श्रीमहाभारत द्रोणपर्वके अन्तर्गत जयद्रथवधपर्वमें ध्वजवर्णनविषयक एक यो पाँचवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ

Thus, in the Śrī Mahābhārata, within the Droṇa Parva, in the sub-section concerning the slaying of Jayadratha, the one-hundred-and-fifth chapter—dealing with the description of banners—comes to its close. The narrative framing underscores how the epic’s war-account is carefully organized: even amid violence, attention is given to symbols of identity and resolve (such as standards and flags) that shape morale, allegiance, and the ethical self-understanding of warriors.

Verse 106

इति श्रीमहाभारते द्रोणपर्वणि जयद्रथवधपर्वणि युधिष्ठिरापयाने षडधिकशततमो<ध्याय:

Thus ends, in the revered Mahābhārata, within the Droṇa Parva, in the sub-episode concerning the slaying of Jayadratha, the chapter on Yudhiṣṭhira’s advance (or setting forth): the one hundred and sixth chapter (of this section).

Verse 266

आददे<न्यद्‌ धर्नुर्दिव्यं भास्वरं वेगवत्तरम्‌ इस प्रकार भारी संकटमें पड़े हुए धर्मराज युधिष्ठिरने युद्धमें द्रोणाचार्यके द्वारा काट दिये गये उस धनुषको त्यागकर दूसरा प्रकाशमान एवं अत्यन्त वेगशाली दिव्य धनुष धारण किया

Sanjaya said: In that grave crisis, Dharmaraja Yudhishthira, having abandoned the bow that Dronacharya had cut down in battle, took up another divine bow—radiant and swifter in its force—signaling steadfast resolve and disciplined endurance amid the moral strain of war.

Verse 276

चिच्छेद समरे वीरस्तदद्भुतमिवाभवत्‌ । तदनन्तर वीर युधिष्ठिरने समरांगणमें द्रोणाचार्यके चलाये हुए सहस्रों बाणोंके टुकड़े- टुकड़े कर डाले। वह अद्भुत-सी बात हुई

Sanjaya said: In the thick of battle, the hero cut them down; it seemed almost wondrous. Immediately thereafter, brave Yudhishthira, on the battlefield, shattered into fragments the thousands of arrows released by Acharya Drona—an act that appeared extraordinary. The scene underscores how, even amid the violence of war, mastery and restraint can manifest as disciplined prowess rather than mere rage.

Verse 326

द्रोणान्तिकमनुप्राप्ता दीप्तास्या पन्नगी यथा । केंचुलसे छूटे हुए सर्पके समान राजाकी भुजाओंसे मुक्त हुई वह शक्ति आकाश, दिशाओं तथा विदिशाओं (कोणों)-को प्रकाशित करती हुई जलते मुखवाली नागिनके समान द्रोणाचार्यके निकट जा पहुँची

Sanjaya said: Released from the king’s arms like a serpent slipping free of its cast-off skin, that blazing missile sped toward Drona. Lighting up the sky, the quarters, and the intermediate directions, it rushed on like a fire-mouthed she-serpent and reached the vicinity of Dronacharya—an image that underscores how, in war, unleashed power becomes impersonal and terrifying, moving beyond the thrower’s control toward its destined target.

Verse 343

जगाम स्यन्दनं तूर्ण पाण्डवस्य यशस्विन: । वह अस्त्र भयंकर दीखनेवाली उस शक्तिको भस्म करके तुरंत ही यशस्वी युधिष्ठिरके रथकी ओर चला

Sañjaya said: The charioteer swiftly drove the chariot toward the illustrious Pāṇḍava. Having reduced that dreadful, weapon-like power to ashes, he at once turned toward the chariot of the renowned Yudhiṣṭhira—signaling the urgent, duty-bound protection of the righteous king amid the chaos of war.

Verse 353

अशामयन्महाप्रज्ञो ब्रह्मास्त्रेणेव मारिष | माननीय नरेश! तब महाप्राज्ञ राजा युधिष्ठिरने द्रोणद्वारा चलाये गये उस ब्रह्मास्त्रको ब्रह्मास्त्रद्वारा ही शान्‍्त कर दिया

Sanjaya said: O venerable king, the great-souled and highly discerning Yudhiṣṭhira quelled the Brahmāstra that Droṇa had launched—by countering it with a Brahmāstra of his own. In the midst of war’s fury, the episode underscores disciplined mastery over divine weapons and the ethical imperative to restrain catastrophic force rather than let it consume the innocent.

Verse 363

क्षुरप्रेण सुतीक्ष्णेन चिच्छेदास्प महद्‌ धनु: । इसके बाद झुकी हुई गाँठवाले पाँच बाणोंद्वारा रणक्षेत्रमें द्रोणाचार्यको घायल करके तीखे क्षुरप्रसे उनके विशाल धनुषको काट दिया

Sañjaya said: With a razor-edged, exceedingly sharp arrow, he cut down that great bow. In the fierce ethics of battlefield duty, disabling an opponent’s weapon is shown as a decisive act—aimed at checking a formidable warrior’s power rather than merely seeking slaughter.

Verse 383

गदामेवाग्रहीत्‌ क्रुद्धश्चिक्षेप च परंतप । शत्रुओंको संताप देनेवाले नरेश! उस गदाको सहसा अपने ऊपर आती देख क्रोधमें भरे हुए युधिष्ठिरने भी गदा ही उठा ली और द्रोणाचार्यपर चला दी

Sanjaya said: Enraged, he seized his mace and hurled it, O scorcher of foes. Seeing that mace rushing toward him, Yudhiṣṭhira—his anger kindled—also lifted a mace and cast it back, directing it against Droṇācārya. In the harsh ethics of battle, restraint gives way to reciprocal force, and even the dharma-minded king answers violence with violence when survival and duty on the field demand it.

Verse 393

संघर्षात्‌ पावकं मुक्त्वा समेयातां महीतले । एकबारगी छोड़ी हुई वे दोनों गदाएँ एक-दूसरीसे टकराकर संघर्षसे आगकी चिनगारियाँ छोड़ती हुई पृथ्वीपर गिर पड़ीं

Sañjaya said: Released in the heat of their clash, the two maces struck one another; flinging off sparks like fire from the force of impact, they fell down upon the earth. The scene underscores how, in war, even weapons seem to blaze with the fury of conflict, revealing the destructive momentum that arises when strength is driven by enmity rather than restraint.

Verse 416

केतुमेकेन चिच्छेद पाण्डवं चार्दयत्‌ त्रिभि: । फिर एक भल्ल चलाकर उनका धनुष काट दिया। एक भल्‍्लसे इन्द्रध्वजके समान उनकी ध्वजा खण्डित कर दी और तीन बाणोंसे पाण्डुपुत्र युधिष्ठिरको भी पीड़ा पहुँचायी

Sañjaya said: With a single arrow he severed the banner, and with three more he struck the Pāṇḍava (Yudhiṣṭhira), causing him pain. In the press of battle, the assault is aimed not only at the warrior’s body but also at his emblems—banner and bow—meant to shake resolve and proclaim dominance, even as the larger struggle over rightful order (dharma) continues amid violence.

Verse 426

तस्थावूर्ध्वभुजो राजा व्यायुधो भरतर्षभ । भरतश्रेष्ठ! जिसके घोड़े मारे गये थे, उस रथसे तुरंत ही कूदकर राजा युधिष्छिर बिना आयुधके हाथ ऊपर उठाये धरतीपर खड़े हो गये

Sañjaya said: O bull among the Bharatas, the king stood on the ground with his arms raised upward, unarmed—having at once leapt down from that chariot whose horses had been slain. The scene underscores a moment of helpless exposure amid battle, where royal dignity and restraint appear against the harsh mechanics of war.

Verse 433

द्रोणो व्यमोहयच्छत्रून्‌ सर्वसैन्यानि वा विभो । प्रभो! उन्हें रथ और विशेषतः आयुधसे रहित देख द्रोणाचार्यने शत्रुओं तथा उनकी सम्पूर्ण सेनाओंको मोहित कर दिया

Sañjaya said: O mighty one, Droṇa threw the enemy into confusion—indeed, their entire forces—seeing them deprived of their chariots and, above all, of their weapons. In the moral texture of the war, the verse highlights how mastery in battle can turn on disarming and disorienting an opponent, raising the tension between strategic necessity and the ethics of exploiting an enemy’s helplessness.

Verse 443

अभिदुद्राव राजानं सिंहो मृगमिवोल्बण: । दृढ़तापूर्वक व्रतका पालन करनेवाले द्रोणके हाथ बड़ी फुर्तीसे चलते थे। जैसे प्रचण्ड सिंह किसी मृगका पीछा करता हो, उसी प्रकार वे तीखे बाणसमूहोंकी वर्षा करते हुए राजा युधिष्ठिरकी ओर दौड़े

Sañjaya said: Drona rushed straight at King Yudhiṣṭhira like a fierce lion charging a deer. Steadfast in his severe vows and discipline, his hands moved with swift precision, and he advanced toward the king while showering volleys of sharp arrows—an image of relentless martial resolve set against the moral weight of striking at the righteous ruler.

Verse 456

हाहेति सहसा शब्द: पाण्डूनां समजायत । शत्रुनाशक द्रोणाचार्यके द्वारा युधिष्ठिरका पीछा होता देख पाण्डवदलमें सहसा हाहाकार मच गया

Sañjaya said: All at once, a cry of “Hā! Hā!” arose among the Pāṇḍavas’ forces. Seeing Droṇācārya—renowned as a destroyer of foes—pressing in pursuit of Yudhiṣṭhira, the Pāṇḍava ranks were suddenly seized by alarm and broke into a collective wail, revealing how swiftly fear can ripple through an army when a righteous leader is threatened.

Verse 554

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The provided Sanskrit text appears to be corrupted/garbled (likely an OCR or scan artifact) and does not contain a recoverable Mahābhārata śloka. Without the correct Devanāgarī verse text for Droṇa-parvan, adhyāya 108, verse 554 (Gītā Press edition), a faithful transliteration, translation, and vocabulary analysis cannot be produced.