Shloka 59
योद्धुंनाशकनुवद् राजन् यथापूर्वमरिंदम:,उनकी चेतनाशक्ति लुप्त होने लगी। वे अत्यन्त उद्विग्न हो उठे। राजन! उस समय धृष्टद्युम्मनको सामने देखकर भी शत्रुओंका दमन करनेवाले द्रोणाचार्य पूर्ववत् युद्ध न कर सके
sañjaya uvāca | yoddhuṃ nāśakan uvad rājan yathāpūrvam ariṃdamaḥ | tasya cetanāśaktiḥ lupyamānā babhūva; sa atyantaṃ udvignaḥ samapadyata | rājan! tadā dhṛṣṭadyumnam abhimukhaṃ dṛṣṭvāpi śatrūṇāṃ damana-karo droṇācāryo yathāpūrvaṃ yuddhaṃ na śaśāka ||
Sanjaya said: O King, the subduer of foes could not fight as before. His power of awareness began to fail, and he became intensely agitated. O King, at that time, even while seeing Dhrishtadyumna before him, Drona—renowned for crushing enemies—was unable to wage war in his former manner. The verse underscores how inner collapse and moral-emotional shock can blunt even a great warrior’s outward prowess.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even extraordinary skill and reputation can be neutralized when inner steadiness collapses. The verse highlights the ethical-psychological dimension of warfare: a warrior’s effectiveness depends not only on weapons and training but also on mental clarity, composure, and the ability to bear grief and shock.
Sanjaya reports to Dhritarashtra that Drona, though famed as an enemy-subduer, could not fight as he used to. His awareness and resolve were fading, and he became deeply agitated; even with Dhrishtadyumna directly before him, Drona was unable to wage battle in his former manner.