Shloka 31
धृतराष्ट्रविलापः — Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Lament and Inquiry (Śalya-parva, Adhyāya 2)
शिखण्डिनं समासाद्य मृगेन्द्र इव जम्बुकम् । द्रोणश्न ब्राह्मणो यत्र सर्वशस्त्रास्त्रपारग:
Śikhaṇḍinaṁ samāsādya mṛgendra iva jambukam | Droṇaś ca brāhmaṇo yatra sarvaśastrāstrapāragaḥ ||
Dhṛtarāṣṭra said: “Closing in upon Śikhaṇḍin as a lion-king would upon a jackal, there stood Droṇa—the Brahmin—fully accomplished in every weapon and missile.” The verse underscores the stark moral tension of war: a teacher-priestly figure, bound by learning and restraint, is nevertheless drawn into violent confrontation, where prowess and duty collide with the ethical weight of whom one chooses to strike.
धघतयाट्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical strain of dharma in war: even a Brahmin teacher famed for mastery of arms can be compelled into lethal action, and the choice of opponent (strong vs. vulnerable) carries moral weight. It invites reflection on how role, duty, and conscience conflict amid battlefield necessity.
Dhṛtarāṣṭra describes Droṇa confronting Śikhaṇḍin with overwhelming superiority, likening the encounter to a lion closing on a jackal. The focus is on Droṇa’s formidable expertise in all weapons and the intimidating imbalance implied by the simile.