भीमसेनवचः श्रुत्वा द्रोणस् तत् परम् अप्रियम् ॥
मनसा सन्नगात्रो ऽभूद् यथा सैकतम् अम्भसि ॥
शङ्कमानः स तन् मिथ्या वीर्यज्ञः स्वसुतस्य वै ॥
हतः स इति च श्रुत्वा नैव धैर्याद् अकम्पत ॥
स लब्ध्वा चेतनां द्रोणः क्षणेनैव समाश्वसत् ॥
अनुचिन्त्यात्मनः पुत्रम् अविषह्यम् अरातिभिः ॥
स पार्षतम् अभिद्रुत्य जिघांसुर् मृत्युम् आत्मनः ॥
अवाकिरत् सहस्रेण तीक्ष्णानां कङ्कपत्रिणाम् ॥
bhīmasenavacaḥ śrutvā droṇas tat param apriyam ||
manasā sannagātro 'bhūd yathā saikatam ambhasi ||
śaṅkamānaḥ sa tan mithyā vīryajñaḥ svasutasya vai ||
hataḥ sa iti ca śrutvā naiva dhairyād akampata ||
sa labdhvā cetanāṃ droṇaḥ kṣaṇenaiva samāśvasat ||
anucintyātmanaḥ putram aviṣahyam arātibhiḥ ||
sa pārṣatam abhidrutya jighāṃsur mṛtyum ātmanaḥ ||
avākirat sahasreṇa tīkṣṇānāṃ kaṅkapatriṇām ||
Having heard Bhimasena's word -- that most grievous news -- Drona grew slack in body and mind, like sand in water. Doubting that it was false, knowing the valor of his own son, and having heard "he is slain," he did not waver in his firmness. Drona, having come to himself, recovered in a moment, recalling his son, unbearable to his foes. He, rushing upon Parshata [Dhrishtadyumna], wishing to slay his own [coming] death, showered him with a thousand sharp arrows fledged with heron feathers.
931eccb68de1 · published Jul 19, 2026, 5:08:17 PM UTC
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Drona "grows slack, like sand in water," yet, knowing his son's valor, doubts the falsehood and recovers: love and reason win out for a moment over deception. It is telling that he rushes upon Dhrishtadyumna -- "his own coming death" -- unaware of it. The verse teaches that even the wise can be shaken by news of a loved one's misfortune; but a loving heart clings to hope, and deception does not at once overpower one who believes in the strength of the beloved.