Shloka 17

Devanagari script

तस्य तां शीघ्रतामीक्ष्य तुतोषातीव वीर्यवान्‌ । गुडाकेशो महातेजा बालस्य धृतवर्मण:

Transliteration

tasya tāṁ śīghratām īkṣya tutoṣātīva vīryavān | guḍākeśo mahātejā bālasya dhṛtavarmaṇaḥ ||

Translation

Seeing his swift action, the mighty Arjuna—Guḍākeśa, radiant with great splendor—was exceedingly pleased with the boy Dhṛtavarman.

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him/that
• तस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• ताम्: her/that (f.)
• ताम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• शीघ्रताम्: swiftness, quickness
• शीघ्रताम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शीघ्रता
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• ईक्ष्य: having seen/observed
• ईक्ष्य: Kriya (Purvakala)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईक्ष्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• तुतोष: was pleased, rejoiced
• तुतोष: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: तुष्
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अतीव: exceedingly, very
• अतीव: Visheshana (Kriya-visheshana)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतीव

• वीर्यवान्: valorous, possessing prowess
• वीर्यवान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वीर्यवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• गुडाकेशः: Gudakesha (Arjuna)
• गुडाकेशः: Karta
• Type: Noun (Proper)
• Root: गुडाकेश
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महातेजाः: of great splendor/energy
• महातेजाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महातेजस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• बालस्य: of the boy/child
• बालस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• धृतवर्मणः: of Dhritavarman
• धृतवर्मणः: Sambandha
• Type: Noun (Proper)
• Root: धृतवर्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna (Guḍākeśa)
• Dhṛtavarman

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Excellence is not only strength but also promptness and readiness; when such merit appears—even in the young—it should be acknowledged. The verse models ethical leadership through appreciative recognition rather than envy or dismissal.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that Arjuna observes the boy Dhṛtavarman’s swift performance/action and feels great satisfaction, indicating approval of the youth’s capability and spirit.