Shloka 48
यत्र वध्यो भवेद् द्रोण: सूतपुत्रश्न सानुग:
yatra vadhyo bhaved droṇaḥ sūtaputraś ca sānugaḥ
Sañjaya said: “In that situation where Droṇa is to be slain, and where the charioteer’s son (Karna) along with his followers is also marked for destruction…”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a morally charged wartime moment: even revered figures like Droṇa become ‘vadhya’ (liable to be slain) when the conflict reaches a point where duty, survival, and strategy override personal reverence—highlighting the tension between respect for teachers and the harsh necessities of war.
Sañjaya is describing a critical juncture in the Kurukṣetra war in which the slaying of Droṇa is contemplated/foretold, and Karṇa (called sūtaputra) along with his supporters is also implicated in the unfolding destruction—setting the stage for decisive, consequential actions on the battlefield.