Shloka 25
अध्याय ३१ — द्रोणानीके तुमुलसंग्रामः
The Tumultuous Battle around Droṇa’s Formation
तस्योन्नतांसं सुनसं शिर: कायात् सकुण्डलम् | भल्लेनापाहरद् द्रौणि: स्मयमान इवानघ,निष्पाप नरेश! उस समय अभश्व॒त्थामाने मुसकराते हुए-से भलल मारकर उसके द्वारा नीलके ऊँचे कंधों, सुन्दर नासिकाओं तथा कुण्डलोंसहित मस्तकको धड़से काट गिराया
tasyonnatāṃsaṃ sunasaṃ śiraḥ kāyāt sakuṇḍalam | bhallenāpāharad drauṇiḥ smayamāna ivānagha niṣpāpa nareśa ||
サञ्जयは語った。咎なき王よ、その時ドローナの子（アシュヴァッターマン）は、まるで微笑むかのようにバッラの矢を放ち、肩高く鼻立ちも麗しいその武者の、耳飾りを戴く首を胴から断ち落とした。戦場の技は冷ややかに冴え、容貌の美も王者のしるしも、戦の報いからは守り得ぬことが示される。
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the harsh moral atmosphere of war: martial prowess operates with relentless finality, and outward marks of status or beauty do not avert death. It implicitly warns that when dharma collapses into total warfare, human dignity is easily reduced to trophies and severed limbs.
Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Aśvatthāman (Droṇa’s son) strikes with a bhalla-arrow and cuts off an opponent’s head, described with vivid physical details (broad shoulders, handsome nose, earrings), emphasizing the suddenness and brutality of the kill.