Mahabharata 7.157.2 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 157, Shloka 2
अमोघशक्तिव्यंसनप्रश्नः — Why Karṇa’s Śakti Was Not Used on Arjuna
धृतराष्ट्रने पूछा--संजय! अमित तेजस्वी दुर्धर्ष वीर आचार्य द्रोणने जब रोष और अमर्षमें भरकर सूंजयोंकी सेनामें प्रवेश किया, उस समय तुमलोगोंकी मनोवृत्ति कैसी हुई? ।।
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca— sañjaya, amit-tejasā durdharṣeṇa vīreṇa ācārya-droṇena roṣāmārṣa-samanvitena yūyudhānānīke prāviśati sati yuṣmākaṁ manovṛttiḥ kīdṛśī abhavat? duryodhanaṁ ca mama putraṁ śāstrātigaṁ pūrvoktaṁ vacaḥ uktvā yad ameyātmā droṇaḥ śatru-senāṁ prāviśat, tadā kuntīkumāraḥ pārthaḥ kim pratyapadyata?
Dhṛtarāṣṭra berkata: “Sañjaya, apabila wira yang perkasa lagi tidak terkalahkan, Acharya Droṇa—dipenuhi murka dan maruah yang tercalar—telah memasuki bala tentera Yuyudhāna, bagaimanakah keadaan hati pihakmu ketika itu? Dan setelah menegur anakku Duryodhana, yang melanggar perintah para tua dan disiplin śāstra, apabila Droṇa yang berjiwa-kekuatan tidak terukur mara ke dalam barisan musuh—apakah tindakan Pārtha, Arjuna putera Kuntī, pada saat itu?”
धृतराष्ट उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a moral-psychological inquiry: how anger and wounded pride (roṣa, amarṣa) drive even revered teachers into extreme action, and how leaders who disregard śāstra and elders (śāstrātiga) precipitate crises. It invites reflection on disciplined conduct versus impulsive wrath, and on responsible response (pratyapatti) in the face of formidable force.
Dhritarashtra asks Sanjaya to report two things: (1) the morale and mental state of the Kaurava side when Drona, enraged, penetrated the Pandava formation associated with Yuyudhana (Satyaki), and (2) what Arjuna did in response when Drona—after speaking to Duryodhana—advanced into the enemy army.
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