Shloka 26
अध्याय ३१ — द्रोणानीके तुमुलसंग्रामः
The Tumultuous Battle around Droṇa’s Formation
सम्पूर्णचन्द्राभमुख: पद्मपत्रनिभेक्षण: । प्रांशुरुत्पलपत्राभो निहतो न्यपतद् भुवि,पूर्णचन्द्रमाके समान कान्तिमान् मुख और कमलदलके समान सुन्दर नेत्रवाले राजा नील बड़े ऊँचे कदके थे। उनकी अंगकान्ति नीलकमल-दलके समान श्याम थी। वे अश्वत्थामाद्वारा मारे जाकर पृथ्वीपर गिर पड़े
saṃpūrṇacandrābhimukhaḥ padmapatranibhekṣaṇaḥ | prāṃśur utpalapatrābho nihato nyapatad bhuvi ||
सञ्जय उवाच—सम्पूर्णचन्द्राभमुखः पद्मपत्रनिभेक्षणः । प्रांशुरुत्पलपत्राभो निहतो न्यपतद् भुवि ॥
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the impermanence of worldly splendour and status: physical beauty, royal stature, and noble appearance do not protect one from the consequences and indiscriminate devastation of war. It invites reflection on the ethical cost of battle and the fragility of embodied life.
Sañjaya reports that King Nīla, described with poetic similes (full-moon face, lotus-like eyes, blue-lotus hue), is killed by Aśvatthāmā and falls to the ground—one among many notable warriors cut down in the Drona Parva fighting.