Shloka 72
“तात! जो वृष्णि वीरों और कौरवों दोनोंके आचार्य हैं अथवा दोनोंके ही नहीं, सम्पूर्ण क्षत्रियोंके आचार्य हैं, समस्त शस्त्रधारियोंमें जिनका सबसे ऊँचा स्थान है, उन द्रोणाचार्यके साथ तुम्हारा संग्राम किस प्रकार हुआ? ।।
vaiśampāyana uvāca | tāta! yo vṛṣṇivīrāṇāṃ kauravāṇāṃ ca ubhayor ācāryo 'tha vā na ubhayor api, samastakṣatriyāṇām ācāryaḥ, sarvaśastrabhṛtāṃ madhye yasya paramaṃ sthānam, tena droṇācāryeṇa saha tava saṅgrāmaḥ kathaṃ abhavat? ācāryaputro yaḥ śūraḥ sarvaśastrabhṛtām api śreṣṭhaḥ, aśvatthāmā iti vikhyātaḥ, tena āsīt saṅgaraḥ katham?
Sinabi ni Vaiśampāyana: “Mahal kong anak, paano naganap ang labanan mo kay Droṇācārya—na kinikilalang guro ng mga bayani ng Vṛṣṇi at ng mga Kaurava (na para bang guro ng lahat ng kṣatriya), at pinakamataas sa lahat ng may tangan ng sandata? At paano naman ang sagupaan mo sa matapang na anak ng guro, na bantog sa pangalang Aśvatthāmā, na itinuturing na pinakamahusay sa mga mandirigmang may armas?”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds the ethical weight of martial authority: Droṇa is portrayed not merely as a partisan teacher but as an exemplar of kṣatriya military tradition. By asking “how” the combat occurred with such figures, the text invites reflection on conduct in war—how one engages a revered preceptor and his celebrated son while remaining within the bounds of kṣatriya-dharma.
Vaiśampāyana, continuing the narration, poses a pointed question about the details of a confrontation: he asks how the listener’s battle proceeded first with Droṇa—described as preeminent among armed warriors and a teacher to multiple lineages—and then with Droṇa’s son Aśvatthāmā, famed as a foremost fighter.