Shloka 26

Droṇa’s Ācārya-Dakṣiṇā: Capture of Drupada and Division of Pāñcāla (द्रोण-आचार्यदक्षिणा)

Devanagari script

तस्य धर्मादपेतस्य पापानि परिपश्यत: । मोहादैश्वर्यलोभाच्च पापा मतिरजायत,वह सदा धर्मसे दूर रहता और पापकर्मोंपर ही दृष्टि रखता था। मोह और ऐश्वर्यके लोभसे उसके मनमें पापपूर्ण विचार भर गये थे

Transliteration

tasya dharmād apetasya pāpāni paripaśyataḥ | mohād aiśvarya-lobhāc ca pāpā matir ajāyata ||

Translation

Vom Dharma abgefallen und nur auf sündhafte Wege blickend, füllte sich sein Geist mit bösen Absichten—geboren aus Verblendung und aus Gier nach Macht und Herrschaft. Der Vers zeigt, wie die Entfremdung von der Rechtschaffenheit, vereint mit Betörung und Ehrgeiz, zu bewusster moralischer Verderbnis heranreift.

Word by Word

तस्यof him/his

धर्मात्from dharma/righteousness

अपेतस्यdeparted (from), fallen away

पापानिsins/evil deeds

परिपश्यतःof (him) who was observing/looking at

मोहात्from delusion

ऐश्वर्यलोभात्from greed for sovereignty/wealth

चand

पापाsinful/evil

मतिःthought/intention/mindset

अजायतarose/was born

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana (speaker)

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?

When a person turns away from dharma and repeatedly contemplates wrongdoing, delusion and greed for power generate a sinful disposition. The verse presents inner attention (what one keeps looking at) as the seed of ethical downfall.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes a figure who has strayed from righteous conduct and is preoccupied with sinful aims; under the influence of delusion and the desire for sovereignty, his intentions become overtly wicked, setting the stage for further harmful actions.