Drona Retorts and Accuses Karna of Malice

Karna had just finished speaking. He had dismissed Drona's advice as malicious, born of hidden intentions. The silence that followed was broken by Drona's direct retort. "We know that you say this out of malice," Drona said, "and the reasons for that. You are wicked and to bring injury to the Pandavas, you find fault with us." He made no attempt to placate or debate. He named the motive plainly: hatred aimed at harming the Pandavas. Then he reaffirmed the foundation of his own counsel. What he had said was for the supreme welfare of everyone, for the propagation of the Kuru lineage itself. He turned Karna's challenge back on him. If Karna thought this path led to evil, then he should tell the assembly what would bring supreme welfare instead. Drona ended with a warning, simple and final. If his advice — the advice leading to the welfare he had described — was not followed, it was his opinion that the lineage of the Kurus would soon be destroyed.