Shloka 61
द्रोणाग्निमस्त्रसंस्पर्श प्रविष्टा: क्षत्रियर्षभा: । बहवो दुस्तरं घोरं यत्रादहुन्त भारत,भारत! उस युद्धमें बहुत-से क्षत्रियशिरोमणि वीर अस्त्ररूपी दाहक स्पर्शवाले द्रोणाचार्यरूपी भयंकर एवं दुस्तर अग्निमें प्रविष्ट होकर भस्म हो गये
sañjaya uvāca |
droṇāgnim astrasaṁsparśa-praviṣṭāḥ kṣatriyarṣabhāḥ |
bahavo dustaraṁ ghoraṁ yatrādahun bhārata ||
Sañjaya said: Many bull-like heroes among the kṣatriyas, entering that dreadful and hard-to-cross fire of Droṇa—whose scorching touch was his weapons—were burned up there, O Bhārata. The verse frames Droṇa’s martial prowess as an all-consuming blaze, underscoring how, in war, even the foremost warriors can be reduced to ashes when confronted by overwhelming force.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the devastating, consuming nature of warfare: even the greatest kṣatriya heroes can be annihilated when confronted by superior force. By likening Droṇa to an inescapable fire, it also suggests the ethical gravity of battle—power and skill, when unleashed, can reduce human excellence to ashes, reminding the listener of impermanence and the fearful cost of kṣatriya-dharma in war.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that many leading warriors entered the ‘fire’ of Droṇa—i.e., faced Droṇa’s weaponry—and were burned up (killed/consumed) in that dreadful, difficult-to-overcome onslaught.