Mahabharata 7.154.22 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 154, Shloka 22
घटोत्कच-कर्णयुद्धम्
Ghaṭotkaca–Karna Combat and the Release of Śakti
अजय्यान् पाण्डवान् मन्ये द्रोणेनास्त्रविदा मृथे । तथा होनमततिक्रम्य प्रविष्ट: श्वेतवाहन:
ajayyān pāṇḍavān manye droṇenāstravidā mṛdhe | tathā honamatatikramya praviṣṭaḥ śvetavāhanaḥ ||
అస్త్రవిద్యలో నిపుణుడైన ద్రోణుడికీ యుద్ధంలో పాండవులను జయించడం అసాధ్యమేనని నేను భావిస్తున్నాను. అందుకే శ్వేతవాహన అర్జునుడు అతనిని దాటి వ్యూహంలో ప్రవేశించాడు.
कर्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights sober appraisal in warfare: even the greatest teacher-warrior (Droṇa) may be unable to overcome opponents protected by skill, unity, and destiny; strategic decisions must be grounded in realistic judgment rather than prestige.
Karna comments on the battlefield situation: he judges the Pāṇḍavas too formidable for Droṇa to defeat, and notes that Arjuna—called Śvetavāhana—has pushed past Droṇa and penetrated the enemy formation (vyūha).
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