Shloka 24
Aśvatthāmā’s Lamentation, Vow of Retaliation, and the Manifestation of the Nārāyaṇāstra (द्रोणपर्व, अध्याय १६६)
द्रोणो हि बलवान युद्धे क्षिप्रहस्त: प्रतापवान् । निर्जयेत् त्रिदशान् युद्धे किमु पार्थानू ससोमकान्,क्योंकि द्रोणाचार्य बलवान, प्रतापी और युद्धमें शीघ्रतापूर्वक हाथ चलानेवाले हैं। वे संग्राममें देवताओंको भी परास्त कर सकते हैं; फिर कुन्तीके पुत्रों और सोमकोंकी तो बात ही क्या है?
droṇo hi balavān yuddhe kṣiprahastaḥ pratāpavān | nirjayet tridaśān yuddhe kimu pārthān sa-somakān ||
Sañjaya said: “Droṇa is indeed mighty in battle—swift of hand and radiant in prowess. He could conquer even the gods in war; how much more, then, the sons of Pṛthā together with the Somakas?” The statement underscores the Kaurava camp’s confidence and the moral peril of overestimating force while underestimating the unpredictable workings of dharma and fate in war.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how martial prowess can breed certainty and pride in wartime judgments; ethically, it cautions that victory is not guaranteed by strength alone, since dharma, strategy, and destiny also shape outcomes.
Sañjaya reports an assessment of Droṇa’s overwhelming capability, asserting that if he could defeat even the gods, then defeating the Pāṇḍavas and their Somaka allies should be easier—reflecting the Kaurava side’s confidence in Droṇa as commander.