Shloka 29
Chapter 30: Formation Disruption, Competing War-Cries, and Nīla’s Fall
Droṇa-parva
सा हन्यमाना पार्थेन तव पुत्रस्य वाहिनी
sā hanyamānā pārthena tava putrasya vāhinī
Sañjaya said: As Pārtha (Arjuna) struck it down, the army of your son was being cut to pieces—its ranks collapsing under his assault, a stark reminder of how unrighteous confidence in power falters when met by disciplined valor in a just cause.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the moral and practical fragility of an army aligned with adharma: sheer numbers and pride cannot withstand disciplined prowess when wielded in service of a righteous cause. It also reflects the Mahābhārata’s recurring ethic that actions (karma) and alignment with dharma shape outcomes on the battlefield.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Arjuna (Pārtha) is cutting down the Kaurava host—identified as ‘your son’s army’—indicating a moment of severe pressure and disarray among Duryodhana’s forces during the Drona Parva battles.