Shloka 23
Vasiṣṭhasya śokaḥ, Vipāśā–Śatadrū-nāmākaraṇam, Kalmāṣapādasya bhaya-prasaṅgaḥ (Ādi Parva 167)
स हि ब्रह्मविदां श्रेष्ठो ब्रह्मास्त्रे चाप्यनुत्तम: तस्माद् द्रोण: पराजैष्ट मां वै स सखिविग्रहे
sa hi brahmavidāṁ śreṣṭho brahmāstre cāpy anuttamaḥ | tasmād droṇaḥ parājaiṣṭa māṁ vai sa sakhivigrahe ||
因为德罗那确是诸知梵者之最胜，又在施用梵天神兵（Brahmāstra）上无与伦比。故而在那场关于友谊的争执中——究竟当不当视为朋友——他确实击败了我。
ब्राह्मण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a tension central to the Mahābhārata: excellence in spiritual knowledge and excellence in weaponry can coexist in one person, yet personal relationships and questions of honor (such as recognition of friendship) can still become causes of conflict. It implicitly warns that ego and social claims can turn even bonds like friendship into rivalry.
A brāhmaṇa speaker acknowledges Droṇa’s superiority—both as a knower of Brahman and as a master of the Brahmāstra—and explains that Droṇa defeated him in a quarrel arising from a dispute about friendship (whether one should be accepted as a friend or not).