Shloka 59

Devanagari script

तदस्त्रं द्रोणपुत्रस्य तस्मिन्‌ प्रतिसमस्यति । अवर्धत महाराज यथाग्निरनिलोद्धत:,महाराज! भीमसेन जब द्रोणपुत्रके उस अस्त्रके सामने बाण मारने लगे, तब वह हवाका सहारा पाकर धधक उठनेवाली आगके समान प्रचण्ड वेगसे बढ़ने लगा

Transliteration

tad astraṃ droṇaputrasya tasmin prati samasyati | avardhata mahārāja yathāgnir aniloddhataḥ ||

Translation

大王よ、ドローナの子のその武器は、迎え撃つ矢によって鎮まるどころか、かえって勢いを増した—風に煽られた火がいよいよ燃え盛るように。ここには、武器に武器で応じる無謀な激化が、抑止ではなく破滅を拡大しうるという、戦の冷酷な理が示されている。

Word by Word

तत्that

अस्त्रम्weapon; missile (astra)

द्रोणपुत्रस्यof Droṇa's son (Aśvatthāman)

तस्मिन्in/against that (in that situation/at that)

प्रतिसमस्यतिopposes; matches; counters

अवर्धतgrew; increased

महाराजO great king

यथाas; like

अग्निःfire

अनिल-उद्धतःfanned/raised by wind

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Droṇaputra (Aśvatthāman)

astra (weapon/missile)

Mahārāja (the king addressed)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse warns that answering destructive force with further force can intensify harm—like wind feeding a flame—highlighting the need for restraint and wise countermeasures in warfare.

What is happening in the narrative?

Droṇa’s son releases a powerful astra. When it is opposed with counter-missiles, instead of being neutralized it increases in ferocity, compared to fire that flares up when driven by wind.