Shloka 22

द्रोणवध-प्रश्नः

Droṇa’s Fall: Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Inquiry

Devanagari script

धेष्टकेतुस्तु चेदीनामृषभो5तिबलोदित:

Transliteration

Dheṣṭaketus tu cedīnām ṛṣabho ’tibalo dyutiḥ.

Translation

قال سانجيا: كان دهِشْتَكيتو، ثورَ الصدارة بين محاربي تشيدي—ذا قوةٍ خارقة وبأسٍ متلألئ—بارزًا في ذلك الصفّ القتالي، تُعرَفُه شدته وبهاؤه الحربي.

Word by Word

• धृष्टकेतुः: Dhṛṣṭaketu (a proper name)
• धृष्टकेतुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धृष्टकेतु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• चेदीनाम्: of the Cedis
• चेदीनाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: चेदी
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Plural

• ऋषभः: bull; best/foremost
• ऋषभः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषभ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अतिबलः: very strong
• अतिबलः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतिबल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उदितः: risen/appeared
• उदितः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उदित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dheṣṭaketu
• Cedi (people/kingdom)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the kṣatriya ideal of recognized excellence in battle—strength, leadership, and conspicuous presence—showing how epic narrative praises martial virtue while situating it within the larger, morally complex war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya is describing notable fighters on the battlefield; here he singles out Dheṣṭaketu as the foremost among the Cedi forces, emphasizing his exceptional strength and splendor as the battle unfolds.