ततो द्रोणं महाराज पाञ्चाल्यः क्रोधमूर्छितः ॥
आजघानोरसि क्रुद्धो नवत्या नतपर्वणाम् ॥
स गाढविद्धो बलिना भारद्वाजो महायशाः ॥
निषसाद रथोपस्थे कश्मलं च जगाम ह ॥
तं वै तथागतं दृष्ट्वा धृष्टद्युम्नः पराक्रमी ॥
समुत्सृज्य धनुस् तूर्णम् असिं जग्राह वीर्यवान् ॥
अवप्लुत्य रथाच् चापि त्वरितः स महारथः ॥
आरुरोह रथं तूर्णं भारद्वाजस्य मारिष ॥
हर्तुम् ऐच्छच् छिरः कायात् क्रोधसंरक्तलोचनः ॥
tato droṇaṃ mahārāja pāñcālyaḥ krodhamūrchitaḥ ||
ājaghānorasi kruddho navatyā nataparvaṇām ||
sa gāḍhaviddho balinā bhāradvājo mahāyaśāḥ ||
niṣasāda rathopasthe kaśmalaṃ ca jagāma ha ||
taṃ vai tathāgataṃ dṛṣṭvā dhṛṣṭadyumnaḥ parākramī ||
samutsṛjya dhanus tūrṇam asiṃ jagrāha vīryavān ||
avaplutya rathāc cāpi tvaritaḥ sa mahārathaḥ ||
āruroha rathaṃ tūrṇaṃ bhāradvājasya māriṣa ||
hartum aicchac chiraḥ kāyāt krodhasaṃraktalocanaḥ ||
Then the Panchalya, overwhelmed by wrath, struck Drona in the chest with ninety smooth-jointed arrows, O great king. He, the greatly renowned son of Bharadvaja, deeply pierced by the mighty Dhrishtadyumna, sank onto the platform of his chariot and fell into a swoon. Seeing him fallen into such weakness, the valorous Dhrishtadyumna swiftly cast aside his bow, seized his sword, the mighty one, and leaping down from his chariot, hastening, the great chariot-warrior swiftly mounted the chariot of the son of Bharadvaja, O venerable one.
81b3a41269e2 · published Jul 19, 2026, 4:08:02 PM UTC
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Seeing Drona in a swoon, Dhrishtadyumna hurls himself with his sword upon Drona's chariot: the one destined to end the teacher's life rushes to accomplish fate with his own hand. It is telling that even the unsurpassed Drona knows a moment of weakness. The verse teaches that even the greatest master is not invulnerable, and his hour does come; but as we shall see, not every such moment is the appointed one -- destiny leads to its resolution by its own path, not by an avenger's impulse.