Shloka 33
रात्रौ युद्धप्रवृत्तिः — Night Battle Begins; Duryodhana’s Protective Orders for Droṇa
Droṇa-parva 139
त्वमागा: समर वीर क्षात्रधर्ममनुस्मरन् । ततो विनिहत: संख्ये युद्धधर्मो हि निछुर:,“वीर! तुम क्षत्रिय-धर्मका विचार करके समरभूमिमें आ गये। इसीलिये इस युद्धमें मारे गये; क्योंकि युद्धरधर्म कठोर होता है
tvam āgāḥ samara vīra kṣātradharmam anusmaran | tato vinihataḥ saṅkhye yuddhadharmo hi niṣṭhuraḥ ||
Sanjaya said: “O hero, you came to the battlefield keeping the kṣatriya’s duty in mind. Therefore you were struck down in the clash of arms—for the law of war is indeed harsh.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames death in battle as a consequence of embracing kṣatriya-duty: choosing the warrior’s path entails accepting the severe, unforgiving nature of yuddha-dharma (the realities and code of war).
Sanjaya addresses a fallen or addressed warrior as “hero,” stating that he entered the battlefield mindful of kṣatriya-dharma and was therefore slain in the fight, emphasizing that warfare is inherently harsh.