Mahabharata 7.116.22 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 116, Shloka 22

Śaineya’s Breakthrough and Reunion with Arjuna (शैनेयस्य समागमः)

Devanagari script

भृताश्न बहवो योधा: परीक्ष्यैव महारथा: । वेतनेन यथायोगं प्रियवादेन चापरे

Transliteration

bhṛtāśnā bahavo yodhāḥ parīkṣyaiva mahārathāḥ | vetanena yathāyogaṃ priyavādena cāpare ||

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: „Viele Krieger — große Wagenkämpfer — wurden erst nach einer Prüfung in den Dienst genommen; und andere wurden in gebührendem Maße geehrt, durch angemessenen Sold und durch wohlklingende, respektvolle Worte.“

Word by Word

• भृताश्न: one who maintains (pays/feeds) others; the employer/maintainer
• भृताश्न: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृताश्न
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• बहवः: many
• बहवः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• योधाः: warriors
• योधाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: योध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• परीक्ष्य: having examined/tested
• परीक्ष्य: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-ईक्ष्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Active

• एव: indeed/only
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• महारथाः: great chariot-warriors (maharathas)
• महारथाः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• वेतनेन: by wages/pay
• वेतनेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेतन
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• यथायोगम्: as appropriate; according to fitness
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा + योग

• प्रियवादेन: by pleasant speech
• प्रियवादेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रियवाद
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अपरे: others
• अपरे: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• mahāratha warriors
• hired soldiers (bhṛtāśnāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Effective and ethical command relies not only on force but on prudent selection (testing competence) and fair treatment—rewarding service with appropriate pay and maintaining loyalty through respectful, pleasing speech.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports how warriors were brought into the army: some were recruited after careful evaluation of their capability as great chariot-fighters, while others were retained and honoured through suitable wages and courteous words—highlighting the practical means by which a war-host is sustained.