paśyaitāṁ pāṇḍu-putrānām

ācārya mahatīṁ camūm

vyūḍhāṁ drupada-putreṇa

tava śiṣyeṇa dhīmatā

Word for word:

paśya — behold; etām — this; pāṇḍu-putrānām — of the sons of Pāṇḍu; ācārya — O teacher; mahatīm — great; camūm — military force; vyūḍhām — arranged; drupada-putreṇa — by the son of Drupada; tava — your; śiṣyeṇa — disciple; dhī-matā — very intelligent.

Translation:

O my teacher, behold the great army of the sons of Pāṇḍu, so expertly arranged by your intelligent disciple the son of Drupada.

paśya etām => Please see, pāṇḍu-putrānām => sons of Pandu, ācārya mahatīṁ camūm => Just see what a formidable military formation they have made. tava śiṣyeṇa dhīmatā => the intelligence which you give to your enemy’s son, now that is used against us. So please don’t be so “soft hearted” that is the implied message here.

This verse is spoken by Duryodhana in previous verse: ācāryam upasaṅgamya, rājā vacanam abravīt, so abravīt he spoke these words. There is no explicit Duryodhana uvacha, but there is indication in the previous verse. So let us see what Duryodhana is saying in this verse:paśyaitāṁ pāṇḍu-putrānām, he is telling Dronacharya–paśyaitāṁ, please see pāṇḍu-putrānām, the sons of Pandus. ācārya, O teacher, you are their teacher as well as my teacher, mahatīṁ camūm; magnificently their phalanxes have been organized.

vyūḍhāṁ drupada-putreṇa, that military formation has been organized by whom? drupada-putreṇa, Drupad Putra has a name Dristadumna. Instead of referring to Dristadumnaby his name, Duryodhana refers to him by his father’s name and there is a reason for that: the old antipathy between Drona and Drupada.

tava śiṣyeṇa dhīmatā

Duryodhana continued with his critical remarks against Drona; it is that enemy’s son, you accepted as your disciple, and you not only accepted him but trained him. Now just see how he is using the expertise learnt from you. ”What a travesty it is? You thought of soft hearted, you thought of broadminded, but your own disciple works against you. Your disciple showed true colors as the son of your enemy, by now acting as your enemy.” Pointing out Drupada, Duryodhana said, “now the father was always against you, but the son came and took training from you and is now ready to fight against you.”

Now for every text there is subtext. Text is directly stated and sub text is conveyed either by choice of words or by the context in which the words are spoken or the tone with which the words are spoken. Subtext often conveys the emotions. Duryodhana wanted to seal the commitment of Dronacharya on his side and wanted to fan the spark of revenge against Drona. Voicing such humiliating statements, Duryodhan intended to dampen the affection of Drona towards the Pandavas which might be there in the heart of Drona.Thus, inciting Drona to fight with full power which he is capable of.

Why does Duryodhana choose such a drastic way of conveying the message? Because in the previous verse, dṛṣṭvā tu pāṇḍavānīkaṁ, he saw the Pandav’s forces formidably aligned by Dristadumna.

Duryodhana came near Drona; in one sense, Dronacharya can assess military formation much better than Duryodhana. Although Duryodhana became expert in various areas of warfare, especially in mace fighting, but he was not a famous military organizer compared to the superior organizing skills of Drona.

If Duryodhana has seen the formidable military formation of Pandavas; then even Dronacharya has seen. So what is the point for Duryodhana to come and speak that way?.paśyaitāṁ, just see here; of the pandavas, pāṇḍu-putrānām; formidable is their military formation, ācārya mahatīṁ camūm.

Duryodhana’s praise of the Pandavas military formation was not intended out of any genuine appreciation for Pandavas. Duryodhana had a heartfelt hostile feeling against Pandavas and he desired their destruction; in that he wanted full support from Drona. Precisely, the reason why Duryodhana was referring to the military formation which both had seen; just to instigate the anger of Drona against Pandavas.

vyūḍhāṁ drupada-putreṇa

On the Pandava side; Drishtadumna was appointed as commander; although Arjuna was the foremost archer, and Bhima was the foremost mace fighter on their side. During the course of the 18 days, despite two ace warriors on their side, the Pandavas decided to appoint the relatively younger Dristadhumna, as a commander. Because Dristadumna was empowered by birth to be the cause of death of Drona which the latter knew. And Duryodhana could read the mind of Drona—the thought of death at the hands of Dristadhumna.

Long back, Drupada performed major austerities, with the motive to beget a son who would kill Drona, to avenge his past rivalry. Drupada to attain his objective, conducted a fire sacrifice with the help of two brahmanas. Consequently, Dristadumna was not born from mother’s womb, rather emerged from the fire as an effulgent and powerful fear inducing (expert) warrior. Immediately from the sacrificial arena, he straightly got into a chariot and started exhibiting many marvelous military moves. Witnessing this demonstration of might, Drupada could understand that this person is truly extraordinary and capable of fulfilling his desires.

Sometime Drona acharya is equated as Guru of Pandavas which is more in terms of military guidance. He was not a spiritual guru, but a marshall guru. Accordingly, he instructed both the parties, Kaurvas and Pandavas. Dristadumna has came to learn further arms from Drona.

vyūḍhāṁ drupada-putreṇa

Implicitly, Duryodhana is expressing his displeasure on Drona for imparting marshall training to Dristadumna.

Duroydhana is addressing Drona, but anyway you have trained your enemy, and now your enemy has got you into trouble. So at least now don’t repeat the mistake, don’t give up safety in the name of sentimentality.

Duryodhana is unable to value the noble virtue of Guru Drona who conducted his life as an exemplary teacher selflessly training disciples . But, the prince was saying, “safety first, if that person is going to kill you, why did you train him?” Metaphorically, Duryodhana was trying to rub salt on the wound. By doing so, Duryodhana was trying to make sure that Drona doesn’t retain any soft corner for Pandavas in his heart while waging the war.