Shloka 70
द्रोणपुत्रस्याग्नेयास्त्रप्रयोगः — अर्जुनस्य ब्राह्मास्त्रप्रतिघातः — व्यासोपदेशः
Aśvatthāmā’s Agneyāstra, Arjuna’s Brāhmāstra Counter, and Vyāsa’s Instruction
भारद्वाजस्ततो गत्वा धृष्टद्युम्नरथं प्रति । महद् युद्ध तदा55सीत् तु द्रोणस्य निशि भारत । धृष्टुम्नेन वीरेण पञ्चालैश्व सहाद्भुतम्,भारत! तदनन्तर द्रोणाचार्यने धृष्टद्युम्मनके रथपर आक्रमण किया। उस रात्रिके समय वीर धृष्टद्युम्न और पांचालोंके साथ द्रोणाचार्यका महान् एवं अद्भुत युद्ध हुआ
sañjaya uvāca | bhāradvājas tato gatvā dhṛṣṭadyumnarathaṃ prati | mahad yuddhaṃ tadā āsīt tu droṇasya niśi bhārata | dhṛṣṭadyumnena vīreṇa pāñcālaiś ca sahādbhūtam, bhārata ||
Sañjaya said: Then Bhāradvāja (Droṇa) advanced toward the chariot of Dhṛṣṭadyumna. O Bhārata, that night there arose a great battle for Droṇa—marvellous and intense—against the valiant Dhṛṣṭadyumna together with the Pāñcālas. The episode underscores the grim ethical tension of war: personal enmities and vows are pursued even in darkness, while duty to one’s side compels relentless combat.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical strain of warfare: even at night, duty to one’s army and personal vows drive combat forward. It implicitly invites reflection on how dharma can become conflicted when loyalty, vengeance, and battlefield necessity override restraint.
Sañjaya reports that Droṇa (called Bhāradvāja) moves to attack Dhṛṣṭadyumna’s chariot, and a great, astonishing night-time battle ensues between Droṇa and Dhṛṣṭadyumna along with the Pāñcāla forces.