Mahabharata 7.13.28 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 13, Shloka 28
Droṇa’s sweeping assault and the Abhimanyu–Jayadratha close-quarters episode (द्रोणस्य भीषणव्यचरितम् / सौभद्र-जयद्रथ-संनिपातः)
मोहयित्वा ततः सैन्यं भारद्वाज: प्रतापवान् | धृष्टद्युम्नबलं तूर्ण व्यधमन्निशितै: शरै:
mohayitvā tataḥ sainyaṃ bhāradvājaḥ pratāpavān | dhṛṣṭadyumnabalaṃ tūrṇaṃ vyadhamann iśitaiḥ śaraiḥ ||
സഞ്ജയൻ പറഞ്ഞു—അതിനുശേഷം പ്രതാപവാനായ ഭാരദ്വാജൻ (ദ്രോണൻ) സൈന്യത്തെ മോഹത്തിലാഴ്ത്തി, മൂർച്ചയുള്ള അമ്പുകളാൽ ധൃഷ്ടദ്യുമ്നന്റെ സേനയെ വേഗത്തിൽ വധിക്കാൻ തുടങ്ങി।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores how psychological disruption (mohana—confusion of ranks and resolve) can decide outcomes in war, while also intensifying the dharmic dilemma: even when performed as a warrior’s duty, victory achieved through overwhelming force entails grave human cost.
Sañjaya reports that Droṇa, after confounding the opposing host, rapidly begins slaughtering Dhṛṣṭadyumna’s contingent with volleys of sharp arrows, marking a surge in Droṇa’s offensive against the Pāṇḍava side.
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