Mahabharata 7.159.39 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 159, Shloka 39
अध्याय १५९ — रात्रौ श्रमविरामः
Night Exhaustion and Brief Pause in Battle
विहन्यमानेष्वस्त्रेषु द्रोण: क्रोधसमन्वित: । युधिष्ठिरवध॑ प्रेप्सुब्राह्मिमस्त्रमुदैरयत्,उन अस्त्रोंके नष्ट हो जानेपर क्रोधभरे द्रोणाचार्यने युधिष्ठिरका वध करनेकी इच्छासे ब्रह्मास्त्रका प्रयोग किया
vihanyamāneṣv astreṣu droṇaḥ krodhasamanvitaḥ | yudhiṣṭhiravadhaṁ prepsur brāhmam astram udairayat ||
संजय म्हणाला— अस्त्रे नष्ट होत असता क्रोधाने भरलेल्या द्रोणाचार्याने युधिष्ठिराचा वध करण्याच्या इच्छेने ब्रह्मास्त्र सोडले।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical danger of anger in warfare: when judgment is clouded, one may resort to disproportionate and destructive means (like the Brahmāstra). It implicitly warns that power and sacred knowledge demand restraint, especially from revered figures such as a teacher.
As Droṇa’s ordinary weapons are being neutralized, he becomes enraged and, intending to kill Yudhiṣṭhira, releases the Brahmāstra—an exceptionally powerful astric weapon—marking a severe escalation in the battle.
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