Shloka 27
तैः शरैद्रोणपुत्रस्य वजवेगै: समाहता: । प्रदग्धा रिपव: पेतुरग्निदग्धा इव द्रुमा:,द्रोणपुत्रके चलाये हुए उन वज्रके समान वेगशाली बाणोंसे घायल हुए शत्रुसैनिक आगके जलाये हुए वृक्षोंके समान दग्ध होकर गिरने लगे
sañjaya uvāca | taiḥ śarair droṇaputrasya vajravegaiḥ samāhatāḥ | pradagdhā ripavaḥ petur agnidagdhā iva drumāḥ ||
サンジャヤは言った。「ドローナの子の放った矢――雷霆のごとく速いそれら――に打たれ、敵の戦士たちは焼かれたかのように倒れ始めた。まるで火に焼き尽くされた樹々が崩れ落ちるように。ここには戦の恐るべき勢いが示される。ひとたび武の力が解き放たれれば、相手は抗えず崩れ、クシャトリヤの戦であっても暴力の倫理的重みは増してゆく。」
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the overwhelming, almost elemental force of warfare once set in motion: skill and wrath can fell living beings as easily as fire fells trees. Implicitly, it invites reflection on the ethical gravity of violence even when performed under the banner of kṣatriya duty.
Sañjaya describes Droṇa’s son Aśvatthāman shooting thunderbolt-swift arrows. The enemy troops, grievously wounded and ‘scorched’ by the assault, collapse in large numbers, compared to trees falling after being burned by fire.