Mahabharata 7.21.59 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 21, Shloka 59
द्रोणविक्रमदर्शनम् / The Display of Droṇa’s Onslaught and the Debate on Pāṇḍava Regrouping
त॑ द्रोण: सथनुष्कं तु साश्वयन्तारमाक्षिणोत् | स हत: प्रापतद् भूमौ रथाज्ज्योतिरिवाम्बरात्
taṁ droṇaḥ sadhanuskaṁ tu sāśvayantāram ākṣiṇot | sa hataḥ prāpatad bhūmau rathāj jyotir ivāmbarāt |
ସଞ୍ଜୟ କହିଲେ—ଦ୍ରୋଣ ତାହା ରାଜପୁତ୍ରକୁ ଧନୁଷ ସହ, ଘୋଡ଼ା ଓ ସାରଥି ସହିତ ଯୁଦ୍ଧରେ ଚୁର୍ଣ୍ଣବିଚୁର୍ଣ୍ଣ କରି ନିପାତ କଲେ। ଦ୍ରୋଣଙ୍କ ହାତରେ ହତ ହୋଇ ସେ ରଥରୁ ପୃଥିବୀରେ ଏମିତି ପଡ଼ିଲା, ଯେପରି ଆକାଶରୁ ଉଲ୍କା ପଡ଼େ।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the harsh reality of kṣatriya warfare: prowess and status can collapse in an instant. The meteor simile frames death as sudden and irreversible, reminding readers that martial glory is transient and that war’s ethics permit decisive, total destruction of an opponent’s fighting capacity (warrior, weapons, horses, and driver).
Sanjaya reports that Drona attacks a prince on a chariot and cuts him down along with his bow, horses, and charioteer. The slain warrior then falls from the chariot to the ground like a meteor falling from the sky.
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