Mahabharata · 7.70.27–28
॥
Devanāgarī
त्रिधाभूतेषु सैन्येषु वध्यमानेषु पाण्डवैः ॥
अमर्षितस् ततो द्रोणः पाञ्चालान् व्यधमच् छरैः ॥
मृद्नतस् तान्य् अनीकानि निघ्नतश् चापि सायकैः ॥
बभूव रूपं द्रोणस्य कालाग्नेर् इव दीप्यतः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
tridhābhūteṣu sainyeṣu vadhyamāneṣu pāṇḍavaiḥ ||
amarṣitas tato droṇaḥ pāñcālān vyadhamac charaiḥ ||
mṛdnatas tāny anīkāni nighnataś cāpi sāyakaiḥ ||
babhūva rūpaṃ droṇasya kālāgner iva dīpyataḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
त्रिधाभूतेषु सैन्येषुtridhābhūteṣu sainyeṣuwhen the armies had split into three; when the armies had split into three
वध्यमानेषु पाण्डवैःvadhyamāneṣu pāṇḍavaiḥand were being slaughtered by the Pandavas; and were being slaughtered by the Pandavas
अमर्षितः ततः द्रोणःamarṣitaḥ tataḥ droṇaḥDrona, then enraged; Drona, then enraged
पाञ्चालान् व्यधमत् शरैःpāñcālān vyadhamat śaraiḥscattered the Panchalas with arrows; scattered the Panchalas with arrows
मृद्नतः तानि अनीकानिmṛdnataḥ tāni anīkānihim, trampling those ranks; him, trampling those hosts
निघ्नतः च अपि सायकैःnighnataḥ ca api sāyakaiḥand slaying with shafts; and slaying with shafts
बभूव रूपम् द्रोणस्यbabhūva rūpam droṇasyabecame Drona's form; became Drona's form
कालाग्नेः इव दीप्यतःkālāgneḥ iva dīpyataḥlike the blazing fire of Time; like the blazing fire of Kala
Translation
When the armies had split into three and were being slaughtered by the Pandavas, Drona, enraged, scattered the Panchalas with his arrows. Trampling those ranks and slaying with shafts, Drona's form became like the blazing fire of Time.
Version
412d87f439d7 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:45:02 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
In wrath Drona becomes "kalagneh iva" — like the fire of Time that consumes at dissolution. The one who a moment ago stood as a dam is now devouring flame. It is telling that even one who stands for the wrong side is invested with terrible grandeur — Drona's valor is beyond dispute. The verse teaches us to distinguish valor from cause: Drona's might, like the fire of universal destruction, commands awe, yet it is turned to defending untruth. Greatness of power does not sanctify the end; grim as the fire of Time, the teacher still serves a doomed cause.