द्रोणं द्रौणिं च साधु त्वं पितापुत्रौ महारथौ ॥
स्तुहि स्तुत्याव् इमौ भीष्म सततं द्विजसत्तमौ ॥
ययोर् अन्यतरो भीष्म संक्रुद्धः सचराचराम् ॥
इमां वसुमतीं कुर्याद् अशेषाम् इति मे मतिः ॥
द्रोणस्य हि समं युद्धे न पश्यामि नराधिपम् ॥
अश्वत्थाम्नस् तथा भीष्म न चैतौ स्तोतुम् इच्छसि ॥
droṇaṃ drauṇiṃ ca sādhu tvaṃ pitāputrau mahārathau ||
stuhi stutyāv imau bhīṣma satataṃ dvijasattamau ||
yayor anyataro bhīṣma saṃkruddhaḥ sacarācarām ||
imāṃ vasumatīṃ kuryād aśeṣām iti me matiḥ ||
droṇasya hi samaṃ yuddhe na paśyāmi narādhipam ||
aśvatthāmnas tathā bhīṣma na caitau stotum icchasi ||
"Praise, O Bhishma, constantly, Drona and Drona's son, father and son, both great charioteers, the two worthy of praise, the best of the twice-born — either of whom, if enraged, could, in my opinion, destroy this earth without remainder, together with all that moves and stands still. For I see no king equal in battle to Drona or Ashvatthaman, O Bhishma; yet these two you refuse to praise."
cf0227dcc3c1 · published Jul 16, 2026, 3:49:21 PM UTC
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Shishupala extols the destructive might of Drona and Ashvatthaman — their capacity to "destroy the earth without remainder." It is telling that for him greatness is a measure of destruction: what is exalted is what destroys more. But the true greatness of the Lord lies not in destruction but in creation, preservation, and salvation: Krishna does not "destroy the earth" but sustains it. The verse teaches us to distinguish two kinds of power — the destructive and the creative — and not to confuse terror with greatness. One capable of destroying deserves fear, but not worship; worship is due to the One who grants existence. Shishupala honors the power to destroy, because he does not know the power to save.