Shloka 33
द्रोणवध-प्रश्नः
Droṇa’s Fall: Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Inquiry
यमाहुरध्यर्धगुणं कृष्णात् पार्थाच्च संयुगे । अभिमन्युं पिशज्ास्तं कुमारमवहन् रणे,जिसे युद्धमें श्रीकृष्ण और अर्जुनसे ड्योढ़ा बताया गया है, उस सुभद्राकुमार अभिमन्युको रणक्षेत्रमें कपिलवर्णवाले घोड़े ले गये
sañjaya uvāca | yam āhur adhyardhaguṇaṁ kṛṣṇāt pārthāc ca saṁyuge | abhimanyuṁ piśaṅgāśvaṁ taṁ kumāram avahan raṇe ||
Sanjaya said: In battle, that young prince Abhimanyu—whom people declared to be a measure and a half superior even to Krishna and Arjuna—was borne across the field of war by horses of tawny (kapila) hue. The verse underscores the tragic grandeur of youthful valor: extraordinary prowess is displayed amid a conflict where merit and righteousness are tested under the harsh necessities of war.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the Mahabharata’s recurring ethical tension: exceptional personal excellence and youthful valor do not guarantee safety in war. Even the most gifted warrior is subject to the larger forces of dharma, strategy, and destiny; admiration for prowess is tempered by the sobering cost of conflict.
Sanjaya describes Abhimanyu being carried in battle by a chariot drawn by tawny-colored horses, while emphasizing his extraordinary reputation—said to be ‘a measure and a half’ superior even to Krishna and Arjuna in combat.