droṇaḿ ca bhīṣmaḿ ca jayadrathaḿ ca
karṇaḿ tathānyān api yodha-vīrān
mayā hatāḿs tvaḿ jahi mā vyathiṣṭhā
yudhyasva jetāsi raṇe sapatnān
Translation of Bhagavad Gita 11.34
Drona, Bhishma, Jayadratha, Karna and the other great warriors have already been destroyed by Me. Therefore, kill them and do not be disturbed. Simply fight, and you will vanquish your enemies in battle.
Commentary by Sri A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada of Gaudiya Sampradaya:
Every plan is made by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but He is so kind and merciful to His devotees that He wants to give the credit to His devotees who carry out His plan according to His desire. Life should therefore move in such a way that everyone acts in Krishna consciousness and understands the Supreme Personality of Godhead through the medium of a spiritual master. The plans of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are understood by His mercy, and the plans of the devotees are as good as His plans. One should follow such plans and be victorious in the struggle for existence.
Commentary by Sri Vishvanatha Chakravarthi Thakur of Gaudiya Sampradaya:
No commentary by Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur.
Commentary by Sri Ramanuja of Sri Sampradaya:
11.34 Say Drona, Bhisma, Karna, etc., who have ben chosen for destruction by me alone, as they have transgressed the law of righteousness. Be not distressed, considering, ‘How can I slay these teachers, relations and others who are attached to enjoyments?’ Do not be thus distressed by thinking about the right and wrong of it, or out of love and compassion for them. These persons are guilty of unrighteousness by siding with the evil-minded Duryodhana. They have been chosen by Me alone for destruction. Therefore fight without doubt. You shall conqer your enemies in battle. In slaying them, there is not the slighest trace of cruelty. The purport is that victory is the sure result.
Commentary by Sri Sridhara Swami of Rudra Sampradaya:
Lord Krishna is annihilating any doubts that may linger in Arjuna regarding chapter two verse five and six when he questioned fighting superiors with the word gariyo meaning is it beneficial. In the same way Arjuna by the code of royal ksatriyas or warriors should annihilate all opponents on the battlefield and not be distressed or afraid of any retribution as they have already been slain by Lord Krishna specifically naming Drona, Bhishma, Jayadratha and Karna.
Commentary by Sri Madhvacharya of Brahma Sampradaya:
Whoever severs Jayadratha’s head from his body causing it to fall on the ground will instantly have their own head burst into pieces. Thus one who slays him is also in the mouth of death and that is why his name is specially mentioned as this was a boon given to him by his father. Karna has special power given to him by a weapon from Indra that will slay any one it strikes but only can be launched once, Bhishma has the boon that he will die only at the time he so desires and Drona cannot be defeated by any weapon receiving the boon of knowledge of every weapon and how to neutralise them from the avatar or incarnation Parasurama Himself. But by the express desire of the Supreme Lord Krishna they all will certainly perish on the battlefield and Arjuna and the Pandavas will be victorious.
Commentary by Sri Keshava Kashmiri of Kumara Sampradaya:
Arjuna may have doubt reflecting that Drona received the divine science of weapons by mantra from avatara or incarnation Parasurama Himself. Also he is hesitant to slay Drona who had taught him so well the science of archery making him the greatest archer in the world. Bhisma has received the boon that he can die at the time of his choosing and educated by Brihaspati the guru of the demigods, he was invincible. Jayadratha has the boon from his father that whoever takes his head off at the neck with any weapon will have their own head burst into pieces. Karna the son of the Surya the sungod has received a boon from Indra in the form of a weapon that will slay whoever he launches it at. Also there are other warriors such as Kripacarya and Asvatthama who are undefeatable in battle. Arjuna is certainly not doubting the words of Lord Krishna but with such a powerful array of mighty warriors against him, he was wondering how he will be able to defeat them all.
Commentary by Sri Adi Shankaracharya of Advaita Sampradaya:
11.34 By saying, ‘who have been killed by Me,’ the Lord names Drona and those very warriors with regard to whom Arjuna had (his) doubts. Now then, uncertainty with regard to Drona and Bhisma is well-founded. Drona was the teacher of the science of archery, and was equipped with heavenly weapons; and particularly, he was his (Arjuna’s) own teacher and most respected. Bhisma was destined to die at will, and possessed heavenly weapons. He fought a duel with Parasurama and remained unvanquished. So also Jayadratha-whose father was performing an austerity with the idea that anyone who made his son’s head fall on the ground would have even his own head fall. Since Karna also was equipped with an unerring spear given by Indra, and was a son of the Sun, born of a maiden (Kunti), therefore he is referred to by his own name itself. As a mere instrument, tvam, you; jahi, destory them; who have been hatan, killed; maya, by Me. Ma, do not; vyathisthah, be afraid of them. Yuddhyasva, fight. Jetasi, you shall conquer; the sapatnan, enemies-Duryodhana and others; rane, in battle.
Commentary by Sri Abhinavagupta of Kaula Tantra Sampradaya:
11.33-34 Tasmat etc. Drona etc. The world is of the nature of perfect and imperfect knowledge and it is swallowed (11.completely controlled) by the power of the perfect, imperfect and mixed Consciousness. Hence, here an answer is given accordingly by the Bhagavat. This secret is a almost indicated in this chapter. Yet for the benefit of those persons who are capable of understanding only what has been clearly marked, let us (11.Ag.) assume the misfortune of taking the trouble of writing a few lines. What is declared by the Bhagavat – viz., ‘As the foes have been slain [by Me], be a token cause and win glory’, this is by way of answering to what Arjuna has said earlier viz., ‘We do not know who, amongst both of us, is more powerful than the other etc. (11.II, 6)’.
Sanskrit Shloka Without Transliteration Marks:
dronam ca bhismam ca jayadratham ca
karnam tathanyan api yodha-viran
maya hatams tvam jahi ma vyathistha
yudhyasva jetasi rane sapatnan
Sanskrit to English Word for Word Meanings:
droṇam ca — also Droṇa; bhīṣmam ca — also Bhīṣma; jayadratham ca — also Jayadratha; karṇam — Karṇa; tathā — also; anyān — others; api — certainly; yodha-vīrān — great warriors; mayā — by Me; hatān — already killed; tvam — you; jahi — destroy; mā — do not; vyathiṣṭhāḥ — be disturbed; yudhyasva — just fight; jetā asi — you will conquer; raṇe — in the fight; sapatnān — enemies.
