Shloka 26
Vasiṣṭhasya śokaḥ, Vipāśā–Śatadrū-nāmākaraṇam, Kalmāṣapādasya bhaya-prasaṅgaḥ (Ādi Parva 167)
स हि ब्राह्मणवेषेण क्षात्रं वेगमसंशयम् | प्रतिहन्ति महेष्वासो भारद्वाजो महामना:
sa hi brāhmaṇaveṣeṇa kṣātraṃ vegam asaṃśayam | pratihanti maheṣvāso bhāradvājo mahāmanāḥ ||
Sesungguhnya, dalam samaran pakaian brāhmaṇa, pemanah agung itu—Drona daripada keturunan Bhāradvāja, seorang yang tinggi budi—tanpa ragu mampu menahan dan menundukkan daya meluru kekuatan kṣatriya. Rangkap ini menegaskan ketegangan moral: rupa lahir dan peranan sosial boleh berbeza daripada kuasa batin; dan daya rohani serta keteguhan ilmu mampu membendung keganasan semata-mata bersenjata.
ब्राह्मण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights that true power is not only physical or martial (kṣātra-vega); spiritual-intellectual potency and disciplined authority (implied brahmatejas) can restrain and redirect violent force. It also cautions against judging capability solely by external role or attire.
A brāhmaṇa speaker describes Droṇa—identified by his Bhāradvāja lineage—as a mighty archer who, though appearing in brāhmaṇa guise, is fully capable of countering and suppressing kṣatriya martial force.