Shloka 17
द्रोणविक्रमदर्शनम् / The Display of Droṇa’s Onslaught and the Debate on Pāṇḍava Regrouping
अथान्यद् धनुरादाय सत्यजिद् वेगवत्तरम् | साश्वंं ससूतं विशिखैद्रोणं विव्याध सध्वजम्,इतनेहीमें अत्यन्त वेगशाली दूसरा धनुष लेकर सत्यजितने अपने बाणोंद्वारा घोड़े, सारथि और ध्वजसहित द्रोणाचार्यको बींध डाला
athānyad dhanur ādāya satyajid vegavattaram | sāśvaṃ sasūtaṃ viśikhair droṇaṃ vivyādha sadhvajam ||
Sañjaya said: Then Satyajit took up another bow, swifter in its force, and with sharp arrows pierced Droṇācārya—together with his horses, charioteer, and banner. The scene underscores the ruthless momentum of battle, where even revered teachers are treated as combatants and targeted without pause.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the harsh ethical reality of dharma in war: once battle is joined, even a venerable teacher like Droṇa is engaged as an active combatant, and opponents strike decisively to disable his fighting capacity (chariot, horses, driver, and standard), showing how duty and survival can override personal reverence.
Sañjaya reports that Satyajit switches to another, faster bow and shoots arrows that strike Droṇa along with the key elements of his chariot formation—horses, charioteer, and banner—indicating an intense exchange aimed at crippling Droṇa’s battlefield effectiveness.