Shloka 4

भीमस्य जलान्वेषणं तथा वनविश्रान्तिः

Bhīma’s Search for Water and the Forest Halt

Devanagari script

तथेत्युक्त्वा तु ते सर्वे रथैस्तूर्ण प्रहारिण: । आचार्य धनदानार्थ द्रोणेन सहिता ययु:,तब “बहुत अच्छा” कहकर शीघ्रतापूर्वक प्रहार करनेवाले वे सब राजकुमार (युद्धके लिये उद्यत हो) रथोंमें बैठकर गुरुदक्षिणा चुकानेके लिये आचार्य द्रोणके साथ ही वहाँसे प्रस्थित हुए

Transliteration

tathety uktvā tu te sarve rathais tūrṇa-prahāriṇaḥ | ācārya-dhana-dānārthaṃ droṇena sahitā yayuḥ ||

Translation

فقالوا جميعًا: «ليكن كذلك»، ثم إن أولئك الأمراء—السريعين إلى الضرب—اعتلوا مركباتهم الحربية وانطلقوا مع دروṇa، عازمين على أداء «غورو-دكشِنا» بسداد حقّ المعلّم عبر تنفيذ ما طلبه.

Word by Word

तथाthus, so

इतिthus (quotative)

उक्त्वाhaving said

तुbut, indeed

तेthey (those)

सर्वेall

रथैःby/with chariots

तूर्णswift, quick

प्रहारिणःstrikers/attackers

आचार्यto/for the teacher

धनदानार्थम्for the purpose of giving wealth (fee)

द्रोणेनwith Drona

सहिताaccompanied (together)

ययुःwent, set out

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Droṇa

princes (rājakumāra-s)

chariots (ratha-s)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the dharmic expectation of honoring one’s teacher through guru-dakṣiṇā: gratitude is not merely verbal but expressed through decisive, disciplined action in service of the teacher’s stated purpose.

What is happening in the narrative?

After agreeing (“So be it”), the princes—ready for combat—mount their chariots and depart together with Droṇa to carry out the task that will constitute the payment of his teacher’s fee.