Shloka 296
धृतराष्ट्र-संजय-संवादः — सात्यकि-अलम्बुसयोर्युद्धवर्णनम्
Dhṛtarāṣṭra–Saṃjaya Dialogue; Account of Sātyaki vs Alambusa
आच्छादयदसम्भ्रान्तस्ततो द्रोण उवाच ह । इसी प्रकार सात्यकिने भी बिना किसी घबराहटके बहुत-से शीघ्रगामी बाणोंकी वर्षा करके द्रोणाचार्यको ढक दिया। तब द्रोणाचार्य बोले--
ācchādayad asambhrāntas tato droṇa uvāca ha | (iti prakāraḥ sātyakine'pi vinā ghābarāhaṭena bahu-śīghragāmī-bāṇa-varṣāṃ kṛtvā droṇācāryaṃ ācchādayām āsa | tataḥ droṇācārya uvāca—)
Sañjaya said: Unshaken and composed, he covered Droṇa with a dense shower of swift-flying arrows. In the same manner, Sātyaki too—without the least panic—rained many rapid shafts and enveloped Droṇācārya. Then Droṇa spoke. The passage highlights steadiness of mind amid violence: even in war, mastery over fear and agitation is portrayed as a mark of disciplined conduct, though it is employed here in the service of battle.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds steadiness under pressure: fearlessness and lack of agitation (asambhrānta) are presented as a disciplined mental state. Ethically, it shows how inner control—often praised as a virtue—can be directed toward destructive ends in war, underscoring the Mahābhārata’s complex portrayal of dharma in conflict.
Sañjaya narrates that Sātyaki, remaining calm, overwhelms Droṇa with a rapid shower of arrows, effectively ‘covering’ him. The line then serves as a transition: after being thus assailed, Droṇa begins to speak, setting up his response in the following verses.