Shloka 18

Devanagari script

को हि तिष्ठति दुर्थर्षे द्रोणे शस्त्रभृतां वरे । सेनापतिःस्यादन्यो<स्माच्छुक्राज्ञिरसदर्शनात्‌,सम्पूर्ण शस्त्रधारियोंमें श्रेष्ठ, दुर्जय वीर द्रोणाचार्यके रहते हुए इन शुक्राचार्य और बृहस्पतिके समान महानुभावको छोड़कर दूसरा कौन सेनापति हो सकता है?

Transliteration

ko hi tiṣṭhati durdharṣe droṇe śastrabhṛtāṃ vare | senāpatiḥ syād anyo 'smāc chukrājñirasa-darśanāt ||

Translation

సమస్త శస్త్రధారులలో శ్రేష్ఠుడైన, దుర్ధర్ష వీరుడైన ద్రోణాచార్యుడు ఉన్నప్పుడు—శుక్రుడు, ఆంగిరసుడు (బృహస్పతి) సమాన మహిమగల ఈయనను విడిచి—ఇంకెవడు సేనాపతి కావగలడు?

Word by Word

कःwho

हिindeed

तिष्ठतिstands / remains

दुर्धर्षेin/when (one) hard to assail

द्रोणेin Drona

शस्त्रभृताम्of weapon-bearers (warriors)

वरेin the best / in the foremost

सेनापतिःcommander (of the army)

स्यात्could be / would be

अन्यःanother

अस्मात्than this / from this

शुक्राङ्गिरसदर्शनात्than (one) whose appearance is like Śukra and Aṅgiras (Bṛhaspati)

Speaker

कर्ण उवाच

Characters & Entities

Karna

Droṇa (Droṇācārya)

Senāpati (commander)

Śukrācārya

Aṅgiras (Bṛhaspati)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores role-based dharma in wartime: command should rest with the most capable and authoritative warrior-teacher. Karna frames Droṇa’s appointment as ethically fitting because competence, stature, and strategic wisdom justify leadership.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Drona Parva, Karna argues for Droṇa’s supremacy among warriors and supports his suitability as commander-in-chief, praising him as nearly equal in stature to the great divine preceptors Śukra and Bṛhaspati (Aṅgiras).