धृतराष्ट्र उवाच किं कुर्वाणं रणे द्रोणं जनुः पाण्डवसुंजयाः। तथा निपुणमस्त्रेषु सर्वशस्त्रभृतामपि।।।।
What was Drona doing when the Pandavas and the Srinjayas slew him in battle,-he who was so skillful in the use of weapons amongst all wielders of arms?
रथभङ्ग बभूवास्य धनुर्वाशीर्यतास्यतः। प्रमत्तो वाभवद् द्रोणस्ततो मृत्युमुपेयिवान्॥
Did his chariot give way? Did his bow snap in two in the act of smiting? Did Drona go mad and for the reason met with his death?
कथं नु पार्षतस्तात शत्रुभिर्दुष्प्रधर्षणम्। किरन्तमिषुसंघातान् रुक्मपुङ्खाननेकशः॥ क्षिप्रहस्तं द्विजश्रेष्ठं कृतिनं चित्रयोधिनम्। दूरेषुपातिनं दान्तमस्त्रयुद्धेषु पारगम्॥ पाञ्चालपुत्रो न्यवधीद दिव्यास्त्रधरमच्युतम्। कुर्वाणं दारुणं कर्म रणे यत्तं महारथम्॥
O son, how was it that the son of Prishata, the prince of the Panchalas, slew that invincible hero, who scattered thick shower of arrows decked with golden wings, who was : (wonderfully) light-handed; that foremost of the regenerate who proficient in everything, thoroughly familiar with all modes of warfare and capable of shooting his shafts to was over a long distance; who was self-controlled, skilful in the use of weapons and blessed with the possession of celestial weapons, that mighty warrior who performed many dreadful feats and who was ever heedful in fight?
व्यक्तं हि दैवं वलवत् पौरुषादिति मे मतिः। यद् द्रोणो निहतः शूरू पार्षतेन महात्मना॥
Since that heroic Drona was slain by Parshata of illustrious soul, it is evident, I think, that Destiny is more powerful than exertion.
अस्त्रं चतुर्विधं वीरे यस्मिन्नासीत् प्रतिष्ठितम्। तमिष्वस्त्रधराचार्ये द्रोणं शंससि मे हतम्॥
In that mighty warrior, the knowledge of all the four kinds of wcapons was present. Do you say to me that Drona, that preceptor of all wielders of arrows and weapons is slain?
श्रुत्वा हतं रुक्मरथं वैयाघ्रपरिवारितम्। जातरूपशिरस्त्राणं नाद्य शोकमपानुदे॥
Hearing the death that hero of golden car covered with tiger-skins, whose effulgence was like that of gold, I cannot today discard my grief.
न नूनं परदुःखेन म्रियते कोऽपि संजय। यत्र द्रोणमहं श्रुत्वा हतं जीवामि मन्दधीः॥
Surely, O Sanjaya, no man ever dies through sorrow caused by another's calamity; since, I, unfortunate as I am, am still alive having heard of Drona's death.
दैवमेव परं मन्ये नन्वनर्थं हि पौरुषम्। अश्मसारमयं नूनं हृदयं सुदृढं मम॥
I do consider Destiny to be, by far, the superior; and exertion is of no avail. Surely my heart is so hard as if it were made of adamant.
यच्छुत्वा निहतं द्रोणं शतधा न विदीर्यते। ब्राह्ये दैवे तथेष्वस्त्रे यमुपासन् गुणार्थिनः॥ ब्राह्मणा राजपुत्राश्च स कथं मृत्युना हृतः। शोषणं सागरस्येव मेरोरिव विसर्पणम्॥ पतनं भास्करस्येव न मृष्ये द्रोणपातनम्। दुष्टानां प्रतिषेद्धाऽऽसीद् धार्मिकाणां च रक्षिता॥
Since it does not break into hundred pieces, although I have heard of the slaughter of Drona. How could he had bean struck by death, on whom the Brahmanas and the princes danced attendance being desirous of receiving lessons in the Vedas and in divination and in the use of bows. I cannot even conceive the fall of Drona which is like the drying up of the ocean, the removal of the Meru mountain and the dropping of the lustrous orb from the heavens. He was the repressor of the wicked and the protector of the pious.
योऽहासीत् कृपणस्यार्थे प्राणानपि परंतपः। मन्दानां मम पुत्राणां जयाशा यस्य विक्रमे॥ बृहस्पत्युशनस्तुल्यो बुद्ध्या स निहतः कथम्। तेच शोणा बृहन्तोऽश्वाश्छन्ना जालैहिरण्मयैः॥
That afflicter of enemies, who has sacrificed his life for the pitiable Duryodhana, on whose prowess rested the hope of victory of my wicked sons, who was equal to Brihaspati and Ushanas in intelligence, how could he have been slain? His stout chestnut-coloured steed, decked with golden trappings.
रथे बातजवा युक्ताः सर्वशास्त्रातिगा रणे। बलिनो हैषिणो दान्ताः सैन्धवाः साधुवाहिनः॥
Fleet as the wind, yoked to his car, beyond the reach of all weapons in battle, endued with great strength, emitting neights (in joy), welltrained, of the Sindhu breed, excellently dragging the chariot.
दृढाः संग्राममध्येषु कच्चिदासन्नविह्वलाः। करिणां बृंहतां युद्धे शङ्खदुन्दुभिनि:स्वनैः॥
Of great sturdiness, were exhausted in the very midst of the fight? Unmoved in battle by the sight of the elephants as those huge monsters roared out with the sound of conchs and kettledrums.
ज्याक्षेपशरवर्षाणां शस्त्राणां च सहिष्णवः। आशंसन्तः पराञ्जेतुं जितश्वासा जितव्यथा॥
By the twangs of bow-strings and showers of arrows and other weapons, foretelling victory over enemies (by their appearance), of inexhaustible breath and indefatigable.
हयाः पराजिताः शीघ्रा भारद्वाजरथोद्वहाः। ते स्म रुक्मरथे युक्ता नरवीरसमास्थिताः॥
mere Those fleet horses harnessed to the car of the son of Bharadvaja, were they overpowered? Even such steeds were yoked by that foremost of human heroes to his golden car.
कथं नाभ्यतरंस्तात पाण्डवानामनीकिनीम्। जातरूपपरिष्कारमास्थाय रथमुत्तमम्॥
Why could he not cross the ocean of the Pandava army, mounted on his own best of cars effulgent like gold?
भारद्वाजः किमकरोद् युधि सत्यपराक्रमः। विद्यां यस्योपजीवन्ति सर्वलोकधनुर्धराः॥
What feats did that son of Bharadvaja achieve in battle, who made all the heroes, cry and on whose knowledge of weapons all the bowmen in the world depend?
स सत्यसंघो बलवान् द्रोणः किमकरोद् युधि। दिवि शक्रमिव श्रेष्ठं महामात्रं धनुर्भृताम्॥ के नु तं रौद्रकर्माणं युद्धे प्रत्युद्ययू रथाः। ननु रुक्मरथं दृष्ट्वा प्राद्रवन्ति स्म पाण्डवाः॥
What feats did Drona perform in battle, Drona who was endued with great strength and was ever devoted to truth? What car-warriors felled in battle Drona of fierce deeds, that foremost of bowmen, that foremost commanders who was like Shakra himself in heaven? Did the Pandavas fly on all directions sceing him of the golden car?
दिव्यमस्त्रं विकुर्वाणं रणे तस्मिन् महाबलम्। उताहो सर्वसैन्येन धर्मराज सहानुजः॥ पाञ्चाल्यप्रग्रहो द्रोणं सर्वत: समावारयत्। नूनमावास्यत् पार्थो रथिनोऽन्यानजिह्मगैः॥
Him endued with great might who invoked in that batile many celestial weapons? Did the very virtuous king Yudhishthira, with his younger brothers and is army having the prince of the Panchalas for its reins, encompass Drona on all sides? Surely Partha checked the career of other car-warriors with his straight going arrows.
ततो द्रोणं समारोहत् पार्षतः पापकर्मकृत्। न ह्यहं परिपश्यामि वधे कंचन शुष्मिण:॥
of
।
Then, of course, the son of Prishata, that perpetrator of evil deeds, assaulted Drona. Indeed I do not see any one capable of bringing about the death of Drona.
धृष्टद्युम्नाटते रौद्रात् पाल्यमानात् किरीटिना। तैर्वृतः सर्वतः शूरः पाञ्चाल्यापसदस्ततः॥ केकयैश्चेदिकारूषैर्मत्स्यैरन्यैश्च भूमिपैः। व्याकुलीकृतमाचार्यं पिपीलैरुरगं यथा॥ कर्मण्यसुकरे सक्तं जघानेति मतिर्मम। योऽधीत्य चतुरो वेदान् साङ्गानाख्यानपञ्चमान्॥
Save the fierce warrior Dhrishtadyumna supported by Arjuna himself. I think that when these heroes namely the Kekayas, the Chedis, the Karushas, the Matsyas and the other rulers of earth, encompassing the preceptor hemmed him in on all sides, like ants pressing upon a serpent and that when he was occupied in the achievement of some difficult feat, then the vilest among the Panchalas must have slain him. He who, having studied the four Vedas along with their auxiliaries and the Histories constituting the fifth Veda.
ब्राह्मणानां प्रतिष्ठाऽऽसीत् स्रोतसामिव सागरः। क्षत्रं च ब्रह्म चैवेह योऽभ्यतिष्ठत् परंतपः॥ स कथं ब्राह्मणो वृद्धः शस्त्रेण वधमाप्तवान्। अमर्षिणा मर्षितवान् क्लिश्यमानान् सदा मया॥
Became the refuge of the Brahmanas as the ocean is that of the rivers, that afflicter of eneinies who led the life both of a Brahmana and a Kshatriya, how could that Brahinana, venerable in years meet his death through weapons. Intolerant in spirit, he was ever humiliated and had to undergo troubles for my sake.
अनर्हमाणान् कौन्तेयान् कर्मणस्तस्य तत् फलम्। यस्य कर्मानुजीवन्ति लोके सर्वधनुर्भृतः॥ स सत्यसंधः सुकृती श्रीकामैनिहतः कथम्। दिवि शक्र इव श्रेष्ठो महासत्त्वो महाबलः॥
Through the son of Kunti he reaped the fruits of his own actions however undeserving he might have been of them. How could that one, on whose feats of valour depends the world of bowmen, who was cver devoted to truth and of pious deeds, who was foremost like the Shakra in heaven, who was endued with great vigours and strength, how could that one be slain by persons hankering after prosperity?
स कथं निहतः पाथैः क्षुद्रमत्स्यैर्य था तिमिः। क्षिप्रहस्तश्च बलवान् दृढधन्वाऽरिमर्दनः॥
How could that one of great lightness of hand, endued with might, a firm wielder of bow and the grinder of his foes, how could that one he slain by the sons of Pritha like a timi slain by the smaller fishes?
न यस्य विजयाकाक्षी विषयं प्राप्य जीवति। यं द्वौ न जहतः शब्दौ जीवमानं कदाचन॥
He, meeting whom no person desirous of victory, ever returned with life, he whom when alive the following two sound never left, namely.
ब्राह्मश्च वेदकामानां ज्याघोषश्च धनुष्मताम्। अदीनं पुरुषव्याघ्र द्वीमन्तमपराजितम्॥
The sound of the recital of Vedic verses, by those desirous of acquiring Vedic knowledge and the twang of the bowstrings, caused by those wishing to acquire skill in bowmanship; he who was never depressed, who was the foremost among men and was ever attended with prosperity and was invincible.
नाहं मृष्ये हतं द्रोणं सिंहद्विरदविक्रमम्। कथं संजय दुर्धर्षमनाधृष्ययशोबलम्॥ पश्यतां पुरुषेन्द्राणां समरे पार्षतोऽवधीत्। के पुरुतादयुध्यन्त रक्षन्तो द्रोणमन्तिकात्॥
He who was equal to the elephant and the lion in prowess, even he has been slain! I cannot even tolerate the thought of Drona's death. How, O Sanjaya, the son of Prishata, slew in battle that most invincible hero whose might was never checked and whose fame was never soiled even before the very eyes of the foremost of men? Who were those persons who fought in Drona's front and protected him from near?
के नु पश्चादवर्तन्त गच्छन्तो दुर्गमां गतिम्। केऽरक्षन् दक्षिणं चक्रं सव्यं के च महात्मनः॥ पुरस्तात् के च वीरस्य
Who were they who brought up his rear and obtained that end which is so difficult to being attained? Who were they that covered the right। and the left wings of that high-souled one?
युध्यमानस्य संयुगे। केच तस्मिंस्तनूंस्त्यक्त्वा प्रतीपं मृत्युमाव्रजन्॥
Who went before him when that hero fought in the battle? Who were they that courted death stood face to face to them regardless of their body?
द्रोणस्य समरे वीराः केऽकुर्वन्त परां धृतिम्। कञ्चिन्नैनं भयान्मन्दाः क्षत्रिया व्यजहन् रणे॥ रक्षितारस्ततः शूनये कच्चित् तैर्न हतः परैः। न स पृष्ठमरेस्त्रासाद् रणे शौर्यात् प्रदर्शयेत्॥ परामप्यापदं प्राप्य स कथं निहतः परैः। एतदार्येण कर्तव्यं कृच्छ्रास्वापत्सु संजय॥ पराक्रमेद यथाशक्त्या तच्च तस्मिन् प्रतिष्ठितम्। मुह्यते मे मनस्तात कथा तावन्निवार्यताम्। भूयस्तु लब्धसंज्ञस्त्वां परिपृच्छामि संजय॥
Who were those heroes that attained the highest state of existence, in the battle with Drona? Did those vile Kshatriyas entrusted with the protection of Drona, out of apprehension, abandon him in (the thick of) the fight? Was he slain by the foe while there helpless? Out of fear Drona would never turn his back on the field of battle, though the danger might be very great. How could he have been slain by the enemy? O Sanjaya, although in a very critical situation, an illustrious person should do this, namely, display his prowess to the best of his might; all this was in Drona. O son, my mind is loosing consciousness; refrain for a while from this discourse. O Sanjaya, regaining my consciousness, I shall again question you.