Mahabharata 7.108.2 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 108, Shloka 2
कर्णभीमयुद्धम्
Karna–Bhīma Combat Report
संजय उवाच अपराह्न महाराज संग्रामे लोमहर्षणे । पज्चालानां कुरूणां च द्रोणद्यूतमवर्तत
sañjaya uvāca aparāhṇe mahārāja saṅgrāme lomaharṣaṇe | pāñcālānāṃ kurūṇāṃ ca droṇadyūtam avartata ||
സഞ്ജയൻ പറഞ്ഞു—മഹാരാജാ, അപരാഹ്നത്തിൽ, രോമാഞ്ചകരമായ യുദ്ധം കത്തിക്കൊണ്ടിരിക്കെ, പാഞ്ചാലരും കുരുക്കളും തമ്മിൽ ദ്രോണാചാര്യനെ തന്നെ പണമായി വെച്ച ദ്യൂതസദൃശമായൊരു ഏറ്റുമുട്ടൽ ഉദിച്ചു.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse uses the metaphor of dyūta (gambling) to show an ethical collapse in war: even a venerable teacher like Droṇa can be reduced to a 'stake.' It cautions that when victory becomes obsession, people and values are treated as objects, and dharma is obscured by expediency.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that, in the afternoon phase of a fierce battle, the Kurus and the Pāñcālas engaged in a struggle described as 'gamble-like,' with Droṇa effectively becoming the central prize or stake—foreshadowing attempts to neutralize or bring down Droṇa through stratagem and focused assault.
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