Shloka 17

Arjuna’s Self-Identification and the Ten Names

Uttara–Arjuna Saṃvāda

Devanagari script

वैशम्पायन उवाच तस्मिन्‌ ब्रुवति तद्‌ वाक्य धार्तराष्ट्रे परंतप । भीष्मो द्रोण: कृपो द्रौणि: पौरुषं तदपूजयन्‌

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca

tasmin bruvati tad vākya dhārtarāṣṭre parantapa |

bhīṣmo droṇaḥ kṛpo drauṇiḥ pauruṣaṃ tad apūjayan ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: Als der Sohn Dhṛtarāṣṭras, der Bezwinger der Feinde, jene Worte sprach, priesen Bhīṣma, Droṇa, Kṛpa und Droṇas Sohn (Aśvatthāmā) diese Zurschaustellung männlicher Tapferkeit.

Word by Word

वैशम्पायनःVaishampayana

उवाचsaid

तस्मिन्in/at that (time/person)

ब्रुवतिwhile (he) was speaking

तत्that

वाक्यम्speech, statement

धार्तराष्ट्रेin/among the Dhartarashtras (Kauravas); in Dhritarashtra's (camp)

परंतपO scorcher of foes

भीष्मःBhishma

द्रोणःDrona

कृपःKripa

द्रौणिःDrauni (Ashvatthaman, son of Drona)

पौरुषम्manliness, valor

तत्that

अपुजयन्praised, honored

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Bhīṣma

Droṇa

Kṛpa

Drauṇi (Aśvatthāmā)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the kṣatriya ideal: courage and martial prowess are publicly affirmed by elders and teachers, showing how social-ethical norms in the epic reward valor and steadfastness in conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

As Dhṛtarāṣṭra finishes speaking, leading Kuru authorities—Bhīṣma, Droṇa, Kṛpa, and Aśvatthāmā—respond by praising the expressed or implied act of heroism, signaling approval from the senior warriors.