ततः सैनिकमुख्यास् ते प्रशशंसुर् नरर्षभौ ॥
द्रोणपार्थौ महेष्वासौ सर्वयुद्धविशारदौ ॥
ततः प्रमुच्य कौन्तेयं द्रोणो द्रुपदवाहिनीम् ॥
व्यधमद् रोषताम्राक्षो वायव्यास्त्रेण भारत ॥
ते हन्यमाना द्रोणेन पाञ्चालाः प्राद्रवन् भयात् ॥
पश्यतो भीमसेनस्य पार्थस्य च महात्मनः ॥
tataḥ sainikamukhyās te praśaśaṃsur nararṣabhau ||
droṇapārthau maheṣvāsau sarvayuddhaviśāradau ||
tataḥ pramucya kaunteyaṃ droṇo drupadavāhinīm ||
vyadhamad roṣatāmrākṣo vāyavyāstreṇa bhārata ||
te hanyamānā droṇena pāñcālāḥ prādravan bhayāt ||
paśyato bhīmasenasya pārthasya ca mahātmanaḥ ||
Then those chief warriors praised the two bulls among men, Drona and Partha [Yudhishthira], great bowmen, skilled in every kind of battle. Then, having released the son of Kunti, Drona, his eyes copper-red with fury, scattered Drupada's army with the vayavya weapon, O Bharata. Slain by Drona, the Panchalas fled in fear, before the very eyes of Bhimasena and of Partha, the great-souled one.
3c29dc71b96c · published Jul 19, 2026, 4:40:45 PM UTC
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The duel of equal astras ends in praise for both — Drona and Yudhishthira: mastery is honored in each. Tellingly, the battle of divine weapons yields no advantage to either, and Drona turns instead upon the Panchalas. The verse teaches that the meeting of true masters often ends without a victor — it reveals the greatness of both; and praise given at once to teacher and student honors the art itself above the outcome.