Shloka 11
उत्स्रष्टकाम: शस्त्राणि ऋषिवाक्यप्रचोदित: । तेजसा पूर्यमाणश्न युयुधे न यथा पुरा,बाणोंके समाप्त हो जानेसे पुत्रशोकसे पीड़ित हुए द्रोणाचार्य नाना प्रकारके दिव्यास्त्रोंके प्रकट न होनेसे महर्षियोंकी आज्ञा मानकर अब हथियार डाल देनेको उद्यत हो गये; इसीलिये तेजसे परिपूर्ण होनेपर भी वे पूर्ववर्त् युद्ध नहीं करते थे
utsṛṣṭakāmaḥ śastrāṇi ṛṣivākyapracoditaḥ | tejasā pūryamāṇaś ca yuyudhe na yathā purā ||
Sañjaya said: Urged on by the words of the seers, and with his resolve turning toward laying down his weapons, he no longer fought as he had before—though his inner splendor still surged within him. The verse underscores a moral turning-point: even a mighty warrior’s prowess can be restrained when grief, conscience, and obedience to higher counsel redirect his will away from continued violence.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights that true strength (tejas) is not merely the capacity to fight, but also the capacity to restrain oneself. When guided by higher counsel (ṛṣi-vākya) and an inner shift toward renunciation, a warrior may cease to act in the old way, even if his power remains intact.
Sañjaya describes a change in the warrior’s conduct: prompted by sages’ words, he becomes inclined to abandon his weapons and therefore does not fight as before, despite still being filled with heroic energy. In the surrounding Drona-parvan context, this aligns with Droṇa’s weakening resolve amid overwhelming grief and moral disorientation.