Shloka 28

Devanagari script

चिकीर्षुर्दुष्करं कर्म धृष्टद्युम्नो महारथ: । इयेष वक्षो भेत्तुं स भारद्वाजस्य संयुगे,तत्पश्चात्‌ महारथी धृष्टद्युम्नने दुष्कर कर्म करनेकी इच्छासे उस रणभूमिमें आचार्य द्रोणकी छातीमें तलवार भोंक देनेका विचार किया

Transliteration

cikīrṣur duṣkaraṃ karma dhṛṣṭadyumno mahārathaḥ | iyeṣa vakṣo bhettuṃ sa bhāradvājasya saṃyuge ||

Translation

ఆపై దుష్కరమైన కార్యాన్ని చేయాలనే తపనతో మహారథి ధృష్టద్యుమ్నుడు యుద్ధరంగంలో భారద్వాజపుత్రుడైన ద్రోణుని వక్షస్థలాన్ని చీల్చాలని సంకల్పించాడు।

Word by Word

चिकीर्षुःdesiring to do

दुष्करम्difficult (to do)

कर्मdeed, act

धृष्टद्युम्नःDhrishtadyumna

महारथःgreat chariot-warrior

इयेषwished, intended

वक्षःchest

भेत्तुम्to split, to pierce

सःhe

भारद्वाजस्यof Bharadvaja's (i.e., Drona's)

संयुगेin battle

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Dhṛṣṭadyumna

Droṇa (Bhāradvāja’s son)

battlefield (saṃyuga)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how, in war, a warrior’s firm resolve can drive him toward extreme acts described as ‘duṣkara’ (hard to accomplish). It implicitly raises ethical tension: heroic determination and battlefield duty can coexist with morally fraught intentions, reminding readers that resolve does not automatically equal righteousness.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Dhṛṣṭadyumna, a foremost Pāṇḍava fighter, forms the intention to strike down Droṇa—identified as Bhāradvāja’s son—by piercing his chest in the midst of combat, signaling an imminent, high-stakes confrontation.