ततः क्रुद्धो महाराज धृष्टद्युम्नः प्रतापवान् ॥
आददे ऽन्यद् धनुः श्रेष्ठं द्रोणस्यान्तचिकीर्षया ॥
विकृष्य च धनुश् चित्रम् आकर्णात् परवीरहा ॥
द्रोणस्यान्तकरं घोरं व्यसृजत् सायकं ततः ॥
स विसृष्टो बलवता शरो घोरो महामृधे ॥
भासयाम् आस तत् सैन्यं दिवाकर इवोदितः ॥
तं दृष्ट्वा तु शरं घोरं देवगन्धर्वमानवाः ॥
स्वस्त्य् अस्तु समरे राजन् द्रोणायेत्य् अब्रुवन् वचः ॥
tataḥ kruddho mahārāja dhṛṣṭadyumnaḥ pratāpavān ||
ādade 'nyad dhanuḥ śreṣṭhaṃ droṇasyāntacikīrṣayā ||
vikṛṣya ca dhanuś citram ākarṇāt paravīrahā ||
droṇasyāntakaraṃ ghoraṃ vyasṛjat sāyakaṃ tataḥ ||
sa visṛṣṭo balavatā śaro ghoro mahāmṛdhe ||
bhāsayām āsa tat sainyaṃ divākara ivoditaḥ ||
taṃ dṛṣṭvā tu śaraṃ ghoraṃ devagandharvamānavāḥ ||
svasty astu samare rājan droṇāyety abruvan vacaḥ ||
Then, enraged, O great king, mighty Dhrishtadyumna took another excellent bow, eager to finish Drona. And drawing the wondrous bow to his ear, that slayer of enemy heroes then loosed an arrow, terrible, bringing death to Drona. That terrible arrow, loosed by the mighty one, in the great clash, illumined the army like the risen sun. Seeing that terrible arrow, gods, gandharvas, and men spoke this word: "May there be blessing for Drona in the battle, O king."
4edaebaf2bd4 · published Jul 19, 2026, 4:49:34 PM UTC
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The arrow bearing death to Drona illumines the army "like the rising sun," and the celestials pray for his deliverance — even the gods are anxious for the teacher. It is telling that the fatal stroke is shown in the image of dawn — light that both gives life and portends an end. The verse teaches that even what threatens ruin can be clothed in radiance; and compassion for the doomed lives not only among men but in the heavens too — for the death of a great man reverberates through all the worlds.