Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 11, Verse 34

द्रोणं च भीष्मं च जयद्रथं च कर्णं तथान्यानपि योधवीरान् । मया हतांस्त्वं जहि मा व्यथिष्ठा युध्यस्व जेतासि रणे सपत्नान्

droṇaṃ ca bhīṣmaṃ ca jayadrathaṃ ca karṇaṃ tathānyānapi yodhavīrān | mayā hatāṃstvaṃ jahi mā vyathiṣṭhā yudhyasva jetāsi raṇe sapatnān

Translation

Droṇa and Bhīṣma, Jayadratha, Karṇa and other brave warriors, — these, killed by Me, do thou kill; fear not, fight, thou shalt conquer the enemies.

— Alladi Mahadeva Sastri

Word meanings

droṇam

Drona

ca

and

bhīṣmam

Bhishma

ca

and

jayadratham

Jayadratha

ca

and

karṇam

Karna

tathā

also

anyān

others

api

also

yodhavīrān

of warriors, heroes

mayā

by me

hatān

slain

tvam

thou

jahi

slay

mā

not

vyathiṣṭhāḥ

be distressed

yudhyasva

fight

jetāsi

shalt conquer

raṇe

in the battle

sapatnān

rivals

Śaṅkarācārya's commentary

The Lord speaks of these warriors — whom Arjuna had any reason to fear — as killed by Himself. Now it is evident why there should be any hesitation (on the part of Arjuna) concerning Droṇa and Bhīṣma. Droṇa was his teacher in the science of archery, was possessed of celestial weapons and was especially his (Arjuna's) own dear greatest Guru. Bhīṣma had his death at his own command and was possessed of celestial weapons. He, once entered into a single combat with Paraśu-Rāma and was not defeated. As to Jayadratha, his father was engaged in austerity, firmly resolved that "whoever causes my son's head to drop down on earth, his head too shall fall." Karṇa, too, was furnished with an unerring Śakti (missile) given him by Indra. He was a son of the sun, born of a maiden. Wherefore he is also mentioned by name. Enemies: such as Duryodhana.