Shloka 41
Droṇavadha-saṃniveśaḥ — The Convergence Toward Droṇa’s Fall
Book 7, Chapter 164
ततः शरसहस्रेण द्रोणं विव्याध पार्थिव: । साश्वसूतध्वजरथं तदद्भुतमिवाभवत्,फिर सहस्रों बाणोंकी वर्षा करके राजाने घोड़े, सारथि, रथ और ध्वजसहित द्रोणाचार्यको बींध डाला। वह अद्भुत-सा कार्य हुआ
tataḥ śarasahasreṇa droṇaṃ vivyādha pārthivaḥ | sāśvasūtadhvajarathaṃ tad adbhutam ivābhavat |
Sañjaya said: Then the king struck Droṇa with a thousand arrows, piercing him along with his horses, charioteer, chariot, and banner. It appeared like a wondrous feat on the battlefield—an overwhelming display of martial power amid the grim duties of war.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the epic tension between duty and destruction: in the kṣatriya arena, extraordinary skill is praised as 'adbhuta' (wondrous), yet it is exercised within a morally weighty context where even revered teachers like Droṇa become targets in the relentless logic of war.
Sañjaya reports that a king on the battlefield showers Droṇa with a thousand arrows, striking not only Droṇa but also the entire chariot ensemble—horses, charioteer, banner, and chariot—creating a spectacle of astonishing archery.