Shloka 30
Aśvatthāmā’s Lamentation, Vow of Retaliation, and the Manifestation of the Nārāyaṇāstra (द्रोणपर्व, अध्याय १६६)
सो<यं मम जयो व्यक्तो दीर्घकालं भविष्यति । तस्माद् रक्षत संग्रामे द्रोणमेव महारथम्,“इस प्रकार अवश्य ही मेरी यह विजय चिरस्थायिनी होगी, अत: तुम सब लोग मिलकर संग्राममें महारथी द्रोणकी ही रक्षा करो”
so ’yaṃ mama jayo vyakto dīrghakālaṃ bhaviṣyati | tasmād rakṣata saṅgrāme droṇam eva mahāratham ||
Sañjaya said: “This victory of mine is now clearly assured and will endure for a long time. Therefore, in the battle, all of you must unite and protect Droṇa alone—the great chariot-warrior.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a wartime ethic of safeguarding the central commander: collective effort should prioritize protecting the key leader whose presence sustains morale, coordination, and the prospect of lasting success.
Sañjaya reports a confident assessment that victory is becoming certain and long-lasting, and he urges the warriors to concentrate their defense on Droṇa, treating him as the pivotal force in the ongoing battle.