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Shloka 336

धृतराष्ट्रस्य मूर्च्छा तथा द्रोणविषयकप्रश्नाः

Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Fainting and Questions Concerning Droṇa

स कथं निहतः: पार्थ: क्षुद्रमत्स्यैर्यथा तिमि: । स्वर्गलोकमें इन्द्रके समान जो इस लोकमें सबसे श्रेष्ठ थे

sa kathaṁ nihataḥ pārthaḥ kṣudra-matsyair yathā timiḥ | svarga-loke indra-samo yo ’smin loke sarva-śreṣṭhaḥ | taṁ mahān sattva-śālinaṁ mahā-balaṁ droṇācāryaṁ kuntī-putraiḥ tathā jaghnuḥ, yathā kṣudra-matsyāḥ saṁhatāḥ timi-nāma mahā-matsyaṁ hanyuḥ | etat kathaṁ sambhavam abhavat ||

持国王说道:那位帕尔塔怎会被击倒——竟如巨鱼“提弥”被一群小鱼合力所杀?昆蒂之子怎能杀死德罗纳阿阇黎——那位大力高魂的英雄,天上可比因陀罗,人间为最胜者——就像小鱼聚集便能毁灭名为提弥的巨鱼一般?这怎可能发生?

सःhe/that one
सः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
कथम्how
कथम्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकथम्
निहतःslain/killed
निहतः:
TypeVerb
Rootनि-हन्
Formक्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular, passive/resultative
पार्थःPārtha (Arjuna)
पार्थः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootपार्थ
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
क्षुद्रsmall, petty
क्षुद्र:
Karana
TypeAdjective
Rootक्षुद्र
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
मत्स्यैःby fishes
मत्स्यैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootमत्स्य
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
यथाas/just as
यथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा
तिमिःtimi (a great fish/whale)
तिमिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootतिमि
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular

धृतराष्ट उवाच

D
Dhṛtarāṣṭra
P
Pārtha (Arjuna / a Pāṇḍava epithet)
D
Droṇācārya (Droṇa)
K
Kuntī
K
Kuntī’s sons (the Pāṇḍavas)
I
Indra
S
Svargaloka (heaven)
T
Timi (great fish/sea-creature)

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights the Mahābhārata’s recurring ethical tension: immense personal prowess can be overcome by coordinated effort and circumstance, raising questions about fairness, strategy, and dharma in war. Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s disbelief underscores how the fall of a revered teacher-warrior forces reflection on the limits of power and the moral costs of victory.

Dhṛtarāṣṭra asks Sañjaya how Droṇācārya—described as supremely great and Indra-like—could have been killed by Kuntī’s sons. He uses a vivid simile: small fish banding together to kill the huge fish Timi, expressing shock that a collective could bring down a seemingly invincible champion.