Shloka 23
Vasiṣṭhasya śokaḥ, Vipāśā–Śatadrū-nāmākaraṇam, Kalmāṣapādasya bhaya-prasaṅgaḥ (Ādi Parva 167)
स हि ब्रह्मविदां श्रेष्ठो ब्रह्मास्त्रे चाप्यनुत्तम: तस्माद् द्रोण: पराजैष्ट मां वै स सखिविग्रहे
sa hi brahmavidāṁ śreṣṭho brahmāstre cāpy anuttamaḥ | tasmād droṇaḥ parājaiṣṭa māṁ vai sa sakhivigrahe ||
Kerana Droṇa sesungguhnya yang terunggul antara para pengenal Brahman, dan tiada tandingan pula dalam penggunaan Brahmāstra. Maka dalam pertikaian tentang persahabatan—sama ada seseorang patut dianggap sahabat atau tidak—dialah yang benar-benar menewaskan aku.
ब्राह्मण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a tension central to the Mahābhārata: excellence in spiritual knowledge and excellence in weaponry can coexist in one person, yet personal relationships and questions of honor (such as recognition of friendship) can still become causes of conflict. It implicitly warns that ego and social claims can turn even bonds like friendship into rivalry.
A brāhmaṇa speaker acknowledges Droṇa’s superiority—both as a knower of Brahman and as a master of the Brahmāstra—and explains that Droṇa defeated him in a quarrel arising from a dispute about friendship (whether one should be accepted as a friend or not).