Shloka 55
Droṇavadha-saṃniveśaḥ — The Convergence Toward Droṇa’s Fall
Book 7, Chapter 164
भीमस्य निष्नतः शत्रून् पार्ष्णि जग्राह पाण्डव: । द्रोणो5पि पाण्डुपज्चालान् व्यधमद् रजनीमुखे
sañjaya uvāca
bhīmasya niṣnataḥ śatrūn pārṣṇi jagrāha pāṇḍavaḥ |
droṇo 'pi pāṇḍupañcālān vyadhamad rajanīmukhe ||
Sañjaya said: While Bhīma was engaged in slaying the foes, the Pāṇḍava (Arjuna) seized the enemy by the heel. And Droṇa too, as night was falling, struck down the Pāṇḍavas and the Pañcālas. The verse underscores the grim reciprocity of battlefield skill—individual feats occur amid a wider tide of violence, where prowess and duty-driven combat intensify as darkness approaches.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the harsh moral atmosphere of war: even as one hero (Bhīma) performs decisive slaughter, another (the Pāṇḍava/Arjuna) executes a tactical capture, while Droṇa simultaneously inflicts heavy losses. It reflects how kṣatriya-duty in battle can drive relentless action, especially as time pressure (nightfall) heightens urgency and severity.
Sañjaya reports concurrent battlefield events: Bhīma is cutting down enemies; the Pāṇḍava (typically Arjuna) grabs an opponent by the heel (a vivid image of close-quarters control or dragging down); and Droṇa, as dusk arrives, attacks and overwhelms the Pāṇḍavas and their Pañcāla allies.