Shloka 43

Devanagari script

लाघवं वासवस्येव सम्प्रेक्ष्य द्विजसत्तम: । तुतोषास्त्रविदां श्रेष्ठस्तथा देवा: सवासवा:,इन्द्रके समान सात्यकिके उस हस्तलाघव तथा पराक्रमको देखकर अस्त्रवेत्ताओंमें श्रेष्ठ विप्रवर द्रोणाचार्य और इन्द्र आदि देवता भी बड़े प्रसन्न हुए

Transliteration

lāghavaṁ vāsavasyeva samprekṣya dvijasattamaḥ | tutoṣāstravidāṁ śreṣṭhas tathā devāḥ savāsavāḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Seeing Sātyaki’s swift, deft handling—like that of Vāsava (Indra)—the foremost of Brahmins, Droṇācārya, best among masters of weapons, was delighted; and the gods too, with Vāsava at their head, rejoiced greatly.

Word by Word

लाघवम्dexterity, lightness (of hand)

वासवस्यof Vāsava (Indra)

इवlike, as

सम्प्रेक्ष्यhaving observed, seeing

द्विजसत्तमःthe best of the twice-born (brahmin)

तुतोषwas pleased, rejoiced

अस्त्रविदाम्of the knowers of weapons

श्रेष्ठःthe best, foremost

तथाlikewise, also

देवाःthe gods

सवासवाःtogether with Vāsava (Indra)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Droṇācārya (Drona)

Vāsava (Indra)

Devāḥ (the gods)

Sātyaki

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the value of disciplined mastery and composure in action: refined skill (lāghava) earns recognition even from great authorities. Ethically, it also points to the paradox of war—admirable excellence is being displayed in a setting of violence, inviting reflection on how virtue and talent are directed.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Droṇa, renowned as the foremost teacher of weapon-lore, observes Sātyaki’s remarkable agility and prowess, comparable to Indra’s. Droṇa and even the gods, led by Indra, feel delighted at this display of martial excellence.