Shloka 26

Droṇa’s Resolve to Restrain Yudhiṣṭhira and Arjuna’s Protective Vow (द्रोणस्य युधिष्ठिरनिग्रह-प्रयत्नः)

Devanagari script

अहं गृहीत्वा राजानं सत्यधर्मपरायणम्‌ । आनयिष्यामि ते राजन्‌ वशमद्य न संशय:

Transliteration

ahaṃ gṛhītvā rājānaṃ satyadharmaparāyaṇam | ānayiṣyāmi te rājan vaśam adya na saṃśayaḥ ||

Translation

Droṇa sprach: „Wenn ich den König ergreife, der der Wahrheit und dem Dharma ergeben ist, werde ich ihn dir heute unterwerfen, o König; daran besteht kein Zweifel.“

Word by Word

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Nominative, Singular

• गृहीत्वा: having seized/taken
• गृहीत्वा: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह्
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वा), Parasmaipada (usage), —, —, —

• राजानम्: the king
• राजानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• सत्यधर्मपरायणम्: devoted to truth and dharma
• सत्यधर्मपरायणम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्यधर्मपरायण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आनयिष्यामि: I will bring
• आनयिष्यामि: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (आ + नी)
• Form: Simple Future (लृट्), First, Singular, Parasmaipada

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Dative, Singular

• राजन्: O king
• राजन्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• वशम्: into (your) control/subjection
• वशम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वश
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अद्य: today
• अद्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य
• Form: true

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न
• Form: true

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

द्रोण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Droṇa
• the king (rājānam)
• addressed king (rājan)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights an ethical tension central to the epic: even a person devoted to truth and dharma can become a target in war, and martial duty may compel actions (capture and subjugation) that stand in contrast to the opponent’s moral stature.

What is happening in the narrative?

Droṇa declares to the king he is addressing that he will capture “the king devoted to truth and dharma” and bring him under that king’s control that very day, asserting complete confidence and urgency in the ongoing battle plan.