इत्येतद् वचन श्रुत्वा भारद्वाजस्य सारथि: । प्रत्युवाच ततो द्रोणं सर्वशस्त्रभूतां वरम्
ity etad vacanaṃ śrutvā bhāradvājasya sārathiḥ | pratyuvāca tato droṇaṃ sarvaśastrabhūtāṃ varam ||
Sañjaya nói: “Nghe những lời ấy, người đánh xe của con trai Bhāradvāja liền đáp lời Droṇa—bậc đứng đầu trong hàng những người sử dụng vũ khí.”
संजय उवाच
Even in the intensity of war, speech and response are framed by dharma: counsel must be heard, and replies should reflect responsibility toward one’s role—here, the charioteer addressing a supreme warrior—highlighting how ethical deliberation persists amid violence.
Sañjaya narrates that after hearing a prior statement, Droṇa’s charioteer responds directly to Droṇa, who is praised as the foremost among weapon-masters. The verse functions as a transition into the charioteer’s reply and the next turn of the dialogue.