Shloka 28
द्रोणविक्रमदर्शनम् / The Display of Droṇa’s Onslaught and the Debate on Pāṇḍava Regrouping
तस्य चानदतो द्रोण: शिर: कायात् सकुण्डलम् | क्षुरेणापाहरत् तूर्ण ततो मत्स्या: प्रदुद्रुवु:,तब द्रोणाचार्यने वहाँ गर्जना करते हुए शतानीकके कुण्डलसहित मस्तकको क्षुर नामक बाणद्वारा तुरंत ही धड़से काट गिराया। यह देख मत्स्यदेशके सैनिक भाग खड़े हुए
tasya cānadato droṇaḥ śiraḥ kāyāt sakuṇḍalam | kṣureṇāpāharat tūṛṇaṃ tato matsyāḥ pradudruvuḥ ||
Sañjaya said: As he roared aloud, Droṇa swiftly severed his head—still adorned with earrings—from his body with the razor-edged arrow called Kṣura. Seeing this, the warriors of the Matsya country broke and fled. The scene underscores the brutal decisiveness of battlefield duty, where prowess and fear can instantly turn the tide, even as the ethical weight of violence remains implicit in the narration.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how swiftly decisive action in war can collapse an opposing force’s morale; it also implicitly reminds the reader that battlefield success often hinges on courage and leadership, while the ethical gravity of killing remains a sobering backdrop.
Droṇa, amid combat, uses the razor-edged arrow called Kṣura to cut off an opponent’s head (described as still wearing earrings). Witnessing this display of force, the Matsya troops panic and flee.