Shloka 49
Droṇa Encircled at Night: Coalition Advance and Battlefield Omens (द्रोणपर्यावरणं रात्रियुद्धवर्णनम्)
तेन वै परमां पूजां कुर्वता मानितो हासि । नार्जुनो5हं घृणी द्रोण भीमसेनो5स्मि ते रिपु:,उन्होंने तुम्हारी बड़ी पूजा करके निश्चय ही तुम्हें सम्मान दिया है, परंतु द्रोण! मैं दयालु अर्जुन नहीं हूँ। मैं तो तुम्हारा शत्रु भीमसेन हूँ
tena vai paramāṁ pūjāṁ kurvatā mānito hāsi | nārjuno 'haṁ ghṛṇī droṇa bhīmaseno 'smi te ripuḥ ||
By performing the highest honors toward you, he has indeed shown you respect. But, O Droṇa, I am not Arjuna, the compassionate one; I am Bhīmasena—your enemy.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse contrasts outward honor with inner intent: respectful rites can be offered even amid hostility, yet the speaker clarifies that compassion is not universal in war. It highlights the ethical tension between reverence for a revered elder/teacher and the uncompromising stance of an enemy bound to battlefield duty.
In Sañjaya’s report, a warrior addresses Droṇa: although Droṇa has been honored through a grand act of reverence, the speaker declares he is not Arjuna (known here for compassion) but Bhīma, Droṇa’s enemy—signaling a shift from ceremonial respect to direct martial antagonism.