Shloka 53
Droṇa Encircled at Night: Coalition Advance and Battlefield Omens (द्रोणपर्यावरणं रात्रियुद्धवर्णनम्)
साश्वसूतध्वजं यान॑ द्रोणस्यापोथयत् तदा
sāśvasūtadhvajaṃ yānaṃ droṇasyāpothayat tadā
サンジャヤは言った。その時、彼はドローナの戦車を――馬も御者も旗印もろとも――打ち倒した。戦の苛烈な奔流はいよいよ増し、偉大なる師の統率を示す徽章さえ、暴力のうちに打ち砕かれていった。
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how war dismantles even revered authority: a great teacher’s martial insignia—chariot, horses, charioteer, and banner—can be brought down in an instant. It invites reflection on the ethical cost of conflict and the fragility of worldly status amid adharma-driven violence.
Sañjaya reports that Droṇa’s chariot is struck down, including its horses, charioteer, and standard. The image signals a decisive blow against Droṇa’s battlefield position and the disruption of his command presence during the fighting.