Mahabharata (Gita Press) 7.13.66 - Drona Parva, Adhyaya 13, Shloka 66
Droṇa’s sweeping assault and the Abhimanyu–Jayadratha close-quarters episode (द्रोणस्य भीषणव्यचरितम् / सौभद्र-जयद्रथ-संनिपातः)
यथा दुर्योधन: काम नेम॑ द्रोणादवाप्रुयात् । “महाधनुर्धर अर्जुन! वह अन्तर उन्होंने तुम्हींपर डाल रखा है। अतः महाबाहो! आज तुम मेरे समीप रहकर ही युद्ध करो
sañjaya uvāca | yathā duryodhanaḥ kāmaṁ naiva droṇād avāpnuyāt | mahādhanuṣdhara arjuna! vah antar hī unhoṁne tumhīṁpar ḍāl rakhā hai | ataḥ mahābāho! āja tvaṁ mama samīpe rahkar hī yuddha karo, yasmāt duryodhanaḥ droṇācāryāt asya manorathasya pūrtiṁ na kuryāt |
สัญชัยกล่าวว่า—เพื่อไม่ให้ทุรโยธน์ได้บรรลุความประสงค์ของตนโดยอาศัยโทรณะ โอ อรชุนผู้ทรงคันศรใหญ่ เขาได้ผูกเป้าหมายในใจไว้ที่ท่าน; เพราะฉะนั้น โอผู้มีแขนแกร่ง จงรบในวันนี้โดยอยู่ใกล้ข้าพเจ้า เพื่อมิให้ทุรโยธน์สมดังเจตนานั้นด้วยโทรณาจารย์।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how intention and strategy shape outcomes in war: a leader’s plan (Duryodhana’s) can be thwarted by vigilance, proximity to allies, and timely tactical choices. Ethically, it underscores responsibility in action—preventing an unjust aim from being fulfilled through a powerful agent (Drona).
Sanjaya reports that Duryodhana has directed Drona’s focus toward Arjuna as a key target. The counsel is that Arjuna should fight while staying close (to his ally/commander in context), so that Duryodhana’s objective—achieved via Drona—does not succeed.
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