Shloka 4
द्रोण–सात्यकि द्वैरथम्
Droṇa and Sātyaki: The Chariot Duel
ते पीड्यमाना द्रोणेन द्रोणानीक॑ न शकक््नुम: । प्रतिवीक्षितुमप्याजौ भेत्तुं तत् कुत एव तु,द्रोणाचार्यसे पीड़ित होनेके कारण हमलोग उनके सैन्यव्यूहकी ओर आँख उठाकर देख भी नहीं सकते थे; फिर युद्धभूमिमें उसका भेदन तो कर ही कैसे सकते थे?
te pīḍyamānā droṇena droṇānīkaṁ na śaknumaḥ | prativīkṣitum apy ājau bhettuṁ tat kuta eva tu ||
ユディシュティラは言った。「ドローナに圧し伏せられ、我らは戦場でドローナの陣列に目を上げて向けることすらできなかった。ましてや、どうしてそれを戦で破り得ようか。」この言葉は、ドローナの達人の技が生む道義と戦略の重圧を示す。彼の力は肉体の強さにとどまらず、心をも圧倒して、ダルマの戦いにおけるパーンダヴァの行動の余地を狭めるのである。
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how a single commander’s excellence can create moral and psychological constraint in war: when the opponent’s force overwhelms one’s courage and clarity, strategic objectives (like breaking a formation) become unattainable. It also reflects the dharmic tension of fighting a revered teacher—fear, reverence, and duty collide.
Yudhiṣṭhira describes the Pāṇḍavas’ predicament in the Droṇa Parva: Droṇa’s onslaught is so intense that they cannot even look toward his array on the battlefield, let alone penetrate and break it. This sets the stage for the urgency of counter-strategy against Droṇa’s formations.