Shloka 32

Devanagari script

धृतराष्ट उवाच तस्मिन्नस्त्रे प्रतिहते द्रोणे चोपधिना हते । तथा दुर्योधनेनोक्तो द्रौणि: किमकरोत्‌ पुन:

Transliteration

dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca tasminn astre pratihate droṇe copadhinā hate | tathā duryodhanenokto drauṇiḥ kim akarot punaḥ ||

Translation

Dhṛtarāṣṭra said: “When that weapon had been checked, and Droṇa too had been slain through a stratagem, then—thus addressed by Duryodhana—what did Droṇa’s son (Aśvatthāmā) do next?”

Word by Word

धृतराष्ट्रःDhritarashtra

उवाचsaid

तस्मिन्in/when that

अस्त्रेweapon (missile)

प्रतिहतेhaving been countered/repelled

द्रोणेin/when Drona

चand

उपधिनाby deceit/stratagem

हतेhaving been slain

तथाthus/so

दुर्योधनेनby Duryodhana

उक्तःaddressed/told

द्रौणिःDrona's son (Ashvatthaman)

किम्what

अकरोत्did

पुनःagain/then

Speaker

धृतराष्ट उवाच

Characters & Entities

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Droṇa

Duryodhana

Drauṇi (Aśvatthāmā)

astra (weapon/missile)

upadhi (stratagem)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds the moral tension of war: even when martial power (astra) is neutralized, outcomes may hinge on upāya/upadhi (strategem). It invites reflection on how adharma-like means used in crisis can provoke further escalation and retaliation, shaping the ethical fallout of the conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛtarāṣṭra asks Sañjaya to continue the account: after a key weapon is countered and Droṇa is killed through a ruse, Duryodhana addresses Aśvatthāmā (Droṇa’s son). The king wants to know what Aśvatthāmā did next in response.