Дхритараштра
धृतराष्ट्र उवाच
यत् तदा प्राविशत् पाण्डून् आचार्यः कुपितो वशी ॥
उक्त्वा दुर्योधनं सम्यङ् मम शास्त्रातिगं सुतम् ॥
प्रविश्य विचरन्तं च रणे शूरम् अवस्थितम् ॥
कथं द्रोणं महेष्वासं पाण्डवाः पर्यवारयन् ॥
के ऽरक्षन् दक्षिणं चक्रम् आचार्यस्य महात्मनः ॥
के चोत्तरम् अरक्षन्त निघ्नतः शात्रवान् रणे ॥
नृत्यन् स रथमार्गेषु सर्वशस्त्रभृतां वरः ॥
धूमकेतुर् इव क्रुद्धः कथं मृत्युम् उपेयिवान् ॥
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca
yat tadā prāviśat pāṇḍūn ācāryaḥ kupito vaśī ||
uktvā duryodhanaṃ samyaṅ mama śāstrātigaṃ sutam ||
praviśya vicarantaṃ ca raṇe śūram avasthitam ||
kathaṃ droṇaṃ maheṣvāsaṃ pāṇḍavāḥ paryavārayan ||
ke 'rakṣan dakṣiṇaṃ cakram ācāryasya mahātmanaḥ ||
ke cottaram arakṣanta nighnataḥ śātravān raṇe ||
nṛtyan sa rathamārgeṣu sarvaśastrabhṛtāṃ varaḥ ||
dhūmaketur iva kruddhaḥ kathaṃ mṛtyum upeyivān ||
[Dhritarashtra:] "When the teacher, enraged, master of himself, having spoken as was fitting to Duryodhana, my son who had transgressed the shastras, entered among the Pandavas -- having gone in and ranged over the field, that hero standing there in battle -- how did the Pandavas surround Drona, the great archer? Who guarded the right wheel of the great-souled teacher, and who guarded the left, of him who slew enemies in battle? He who danced on the chariot-paths, the best of all warriors, like an enraged comet -- how did he meet death?"
5a7397631db7 · published Jul 19, 2026, 4:31:38 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The blind king foresees what is to come, asking of Drona's very death -- the curse of foreboding. It is significant that the teacher is likened to "an enraged comet," an ominous star: the brilliance of his valor is itself an omen of disaster. The verse teaches that even the greatest master is mortal; and he who danced on the chariot-paths, seemingly invulnerable, still goes to his hour -- for death spares neither skill nor valor.