Shloka 27

Vāraṇāvata-prasaṃsā and the Pāṇḍavas’ Departure (वरणावत-प्रशंसा तथा पाण्डव-प्रयाणम्)

Devanagari script

द्रोण उवाच एषा मुष्टिरिषीकाणां मयास्त्रेणाभिमन्त्रिता,द्रोण बोले--ये मुदट्ठीभर सींकें हैं, जिन्हें मैंने अस्त्र-मन्त्रके द्वारा अभिमन्त्रित किया है

Transliteration

droṇa uvāca | eṣā muṣṭir iṣīkāṇāṁ mayāstreṇābhimantritā |

Translation

Droṇa sprach: „Diese Handvoll Schilfschäfte ist von mir mit einem Waffen-Mantra geweiht worden. Es ist nicht bloßes Gras, sondern ein Werkzeug, geladen mit kriegerischer Kraft—bestimmt, die Macht disziplinierten Wissens und die ernste Verantwortung zu zeigen, die den Gebrauch der Astras begleitet.“

Word by Word

द्रोणःDrona

उवाचsaid

एषाthis

मुष्टिःfistful/handful

इषीकाणाम्of reeds/arrow-shafts

मयाby me

अस्त्रेणwith a weapon (missile)

अभिमन्त्रिताconsecrated/enchanted (by mantra)

Speaker

द्रोण उवाच

Characters & Entities

Droṇa

muṣṭi (handful)

iṣīkā (reeds/reed-shafts)

astra (weapon-mantra power)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights that martial power in the Mahābhārata is rooted in disciplined knowledge (astra-mantras), and that even ordinary objects can become dangerous when empowered—implying an ethical demand for restraint and responsibility in wielding such knowledge.

What is happening in the narrative?

Droṇa points out a simple handful of reeds and declares that he has empowered them through an astra-mantra, indicating a demonstration of his mastery and the transformative potency of mantra-based weaponry.