Shloka 19
द्रोणविक्रमदर्शनम् / The Display of Droṇa’s Onslaught and the Debate on Pāṇḍava Regrouping
हयान् ध्वजं धनुर्मष्टिमुभी च पार्ष्णिसारथी । अवाकिरत् ततो द्रोण: शरवर्षै: सहस्रश:,द्रोणने सत्यजित॒के घोड़ों, ध्वज, धनुषकी मुष्टि तथा दोनों पार्श्वरक्षकोंपर सहस्रों बाणोंकी वर्षा की
sañjaya uvāca | hayān dhvajaṃ dhanurmuṣṭim ubhī ca pārṣṇisārathī | avākirat tato droṇaḥ śaravarṣaiḥ sahasraśaḥ ||
Sañjaya berkata: Lalu Droṇa menghujani ribuan demi ribuan anak panah, mengenai kuda-kuda, panji, genggaman busur, serta kedua-dua pengawal sisi dan sais kereta. Adegan ini menonjolkan ketepatan yang kejam dalam kemahiran medan perang—apabila melumpuhkan sokongan sebuah kereta perang menjadi tindakan strategik, lalu menajamkan ketegangan etika antara dharma kesatria dan keganasan perang yang kian memuncak.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how warfare often targets the supports of power—horses, banner, and attendants—showing strategic intelligence but also intensifying the moral strain of battle, where duty (kṣatriya-dharma) can slide into relentless destruction.
Sañjaya reports that Droṇa unleashes a massive volley of arrows aimed not only at the warrior but at the chariot’s key components and personnel—horses, standard, bow-grip, and side attendants—seeking to disable and overwhelm the opponent’s fighting capacity.