पाण्डवाः केकया मत्स्याः पाञ्चालाश् च विशेषतः ॥
संख्ये द्रोणरथं प्राप्य व्यनशन् कालचोदिताः ॥
सहस्रं रथसिंहानां द्विसाहस्रं च दन्तिनाम् ॥
द्रोणो ब्रह्मास्त्रनिर्दग्धं प्रेषयाम् आस मृत्यवे ॥
आकर्णपलितः श्यामो वयसाशीतिपञ्चकः ॥
रणे पर्यचरद् द्रोणो वृद्धः षोडशवर्षवत् ॥
pāṇḍavāḥ kekayā matsyāḥ pāñcālāś ca viśeṣataḥ ||
saṃkhye droṇarathaṃ prāpya vyanaśan kālacoditāḥ ||
sahasraṃ rathasiṃhānāṃ dvisāhasraṃ ca dantinām ||
droṇo brahmāstranirdagdhaṃ preṣayām āsa mṛtyave ||
ākarṇapalitaḥ śyāmo vayasāśītipañcakaḥ ||
raṇe paryacarad droṇo vṛddhaḥ ṣoḍaśavarṣavat ||
"The Pandavas, the Kekayas, the Matsyas, and especially the Panchalas, drawing near Drona's chariot in battle, perished, driven by Time. A thousand lion-like charioteers and two thousand elephants Drona, having burned them with the brahmastra, sent to death. Gray-haired to the ears, dark-complexioned, eighty-five years of age, Drona ranged over the battlefield, an old man, as though sixteen."
b3651e1a66da · published Jul 19, 2026, 5:08:17 PM UTC
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The enemy perish "driven by Time" -- kalacoditah: it is not Drona but Time that strikes through his hand. It is telling that an eighty-five-year-old elder fights like a youth: a spirit grounded in knowledge and duty knows no bodily decrepitude. The verse teaches that true strength comes not from the flesh but from the gathered self; and behind every victory and defeat stands Kala -- Time, whose instrument even the greatest of warriors become.