Mahabharata (Gita Press) 7.21.29 - Drona Parva, Adhyaya 21, Shloka 29
द्रोणविक्रमदर्शनम् / The Display of Droṇa’s Onslaught and the Debate on Pāṇḍava Regrouping
मत्स्याज्चित्वा3जयच्चेदीन् करूषान् केकयानपि । पज्चालान् सृज्जयान् पाण्डून् भारद्वाज: पुनः पुन:
matsyāñ jitvā jayañ cedīn karūṣān kekayān api | pañcālān sṛñjayān pāṇḍūn bhāradvājaḥ punaḥ punaḥ ||
मत्स्यदेशातील योद्ध्यांना जिंकून, चेदि, करूष व केकयांनाही पराभूत करून, भारद्वाजपुत्र द्रोणाचार्यांनी पाञ्चाल, सृंजय आणि पांडव-सेना यांना पुन्हा पुन्हा उध्वस्त केले।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the inexorable force of war: repeated victories can arise from skill and command, yet they also intensify the moral weight of the conflict—power used effectively does not by itself resolve the underlying dharmic rupture of fighting one’s own kin and allies.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Droṇa is repeatedly defeating multiple allied contingents of the Pāṇḍavas—Matsya, Cedi, Karūṣa, Kekaya, and then Pañcāla and Sṛñjaya forces—showing Droṇa’s dominance in this phase of the battle.
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