Shloka 39
Devanagari script
सेनाप्रणेता च भवेत् तव तात दृढव्रतः
Transliteration
senāpraṇetā ca bhavet tava tāta dṛḍhavrataḥ
Translation
Vaiśampāyana said: “And, dear one, he should become your commander and leader of the army—steadfast in his vows and firm in discipline.”
Word by Word
सेनाप्रणेताleader of the army
सेनाप्रणेता:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootसेना-प्रणेता
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
भवेत्should be / may become
भवेत्:
TypeVerb
Rootभू
FormOptative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
तवof you / your
तव:
Sampradana
TypePronoun
Rootयुष्मद्
Form—, Genitive, Singular
तातO dear one / O father (term of address)
तात:
TypeNoun
Rootतात
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
दृढव्रतःfirm in vow / steadfast
दृढव्रतः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootदृढ-व्रत
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
Speaker
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Characters & Entities
V
VaiśampāyanaCharacter Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Cross References
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes that military authority should be entrusted to a person who is dṛḍhavrata—steadfast, disciplined, and reliable—suggesting that power is ethically safest when guided by self-control and firm commitment to duty.
Vaiśampāyana, narrating the events, reports a recommendation that someone should serve as the senāpraṇetā (army commander/leader) for the addressed person, highlighting the need for a dependable, vow-steadfast leader in matters of governance and security.