Shloka 31
द्रोणविक्रमदर्शनम् / The Display of Droṇa’s Onslaught and the Debate on Pāṇḍava Regrouping
उत्तमं ह्वाददानस्य धनुरस्याशुकारिण: । ज्याघोषो निध्नतोअमित्रान् दिक्षु सर्वासु शुश्रुवे,उत्तम धनुष लेकर शीघ्रतापूर्वक अस्त्र चलाने और शत्रुओंका वध करनेवाले द्रोणाचार्यकी प्रत्यंचाका शब्द सम्पूर्ण दिशाओंमें सुनायी पड़ता था
uttamaṃ hvādadānasya dhanur asyāśukāriṇaḥ | jyāghoṣo nighnato 'mitrān dikṣu sarvāsu śuśruve ||
Sanjaya said: As Droṇācārya swiftly took up his excellent bow and struck down his foes, the thunderous twang of its bowstring was heard in every direction. The verse underscores the overwhelming momentum of a master warrior in battle—where skill and speed become a force that dominates the field, even as the ethical tension of war remains implicit in the act of slaying enemies.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how disciplined mastery and swift action can decisively shape events; in the Mahābhārata’s war context, it also implicitly raises the ethical tension that extraordinary skill is being used for lethal ends, reminding readers that power and dharma must be continually examined even amid duty-bound conflict.
Sañjaya describes Droṇa in the thick of battle: he quickly takes up his superior bow, launches weapons, and kills enemies; the loud twang of the bowstring reverberates across all directions, signaling his dominance on the battlefield.