Shloka 4

धृतराष्ट्रस्य संजयप्रश्नः

Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Inquiry to Saṃjaya on Strategic Comparisons

Devanagari script

पितामहं शान्तनवं धृतराष्ट्रं च संजय । द्रोणं कृपं च कर्ण च महाराजं च बाह्विकम्‌

Transliteration

pitāmahaṃ śāntanavaṃ dhṛtarāṣṭraṃ ca saṃjaya | droṇaṃ kṛpaṃ ca karṇaṃ ca mahārājaṃ ca bāhvīkam ||

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: «O Sañjaya, überbringe meine ehrerbietigen Grüße und erkundige dich nach dem Wohlergehen des Großvaters Bhīṣma, des Sohnes Śāntanus; des Königs Dhṛtarāṣṭra; Droṇas; Kṛpas; Karṇas; und des großen Königs Bāhlīka.»

Word by Word

• पितामहम्: the grandsire
• पितामहम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• शान्तनवम्: descendant/son of Śantanu
• शान्तनवम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शान्तनव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• धृतराष्ट्रम्: Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• धृतराष्ट्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धृतराष्ट्र
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• संजय: O Sañjaya
• Type: Noun
• Root: संजय
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• द्रोणम्: Droṇa
• द्रोणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रोण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• कृपम्: Kṛpa
• कृपम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृप
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• कर्णम्: Karna
• कर्णम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• महाराजम्: the great king
• महाराजम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• बाह्विकम्: Bāhvika (a king/person)
• बाह्विकम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाह्विक
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhīṣma
• Śāntanu
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Droṇa
• Kṛpa (Kṛpācārya)
• Karṇa
• Bāhlīka

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even on the brink of war, the epic foregrounds maryādā (proper conduct): elders and teachers are to be addressed with honor and their welfare enquired after, highlighting the tension between social-ethical duties and impending violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

A message is being framed for delivery: Sañjaya is instructed to greet leading Kuru figures—Bhīṣma, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Droṇa, Kṛpa, Karṇa, and Bāhlīka—formally acknowledging their status as the conflict escalates.