Shloka 126

Droṇa Encircled at Night: Coalition Advance and Battlefield Omens (द्रोणपर्यावरणं रात्रियुद्धवर्णनम्)

Devanagari script

इस प्रकार श्रीमहाभारत द्रोणपर्वके अन्तर्गत जयद्रथवधपर्वमें युधिष्टिरकी चिन्ताविषयक एक सौ छब्बीसवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ,आध्रातश्न तथा मूर्थ्नि श्रावितश्वाशिष: शुभा: । भारत! उस समय धर्मराज युधिष्ठिरने कुन्तीकुमार भीमसेनको गलेसे लगाया, उसका सिर सूँघा और उन्हें शुभ आशीर्वाद सुनाये

Transliteration

adhyāyaḥ samāptaḥ—iti śrīmahābhārate droṇaparvaṇi antargate jayadrathavadhaparvaṇi yudhiṣṭhiracintāviṣayakaḥ ṣaḍviṃśatyuttaraśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ samāptaḥ. āghrātaś ca mūrdhni śrāvitaś cāśiṣaḥ śubhāḥ | bhārata! tadā dharmarājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ kuntīkumarabhīmasenaṃ gale samāliṅgya tasya śira āghrāya śubhāśiṣaḥ śrāvayāmāsa |

Translation

Sanjaya said: Thus ends the one hundred and twenty-sixth chapter, dealing with Yudhishthira’s anxious reflections, within the Jayadratha-slaying section of the Drona Parva of the Mahabharata. O Bharata, at that time King Yudhishthira—steadfast in dharma—embraced Kunti’s son Bhimasena, smelled his head in affection, and pronounced auspicious blessings upon him. Even amid the violence of war, the narrative pauses to show the ethical heart of kinship: reassurance, gratitude, and the sustaining power of righteous goodwill.

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'संजय उवाच (sañjaya uvāca)', 'meaning': 'Sanjaya said (narrator’s speech marker)'}, {'term': 'द्रोणपर्व (droṇaparva)', 'meaning': 'The Drona Parva (book describing events around Drona’s command)'}, {'term': 'जयद्रथवधपर्व (jayadrathavadhaparva)', 'meaning': 'Section concerning the slaying of Jayadratha'}, {'term': 'युधिष्ठिर (yudhiṣṭhira)', 'meaning': 'Eldest Pandava

• exemplar of dharma'}, {'term': 'धर्मराज (dharmarāja)', 'meaning': '‘King of Dharma’

• epithet of Yudhishthira'}, {'term': 'कुन्तीकुमार (kuntīkumarāḥ / kuntīkumarabhīmasenaḥ)', 'meaning': 'Son of Kunti

• here specifically Bhima'}, {'term': 'भीमसेन (bhīmasena)', 'meaning': 'Bhima, the mighty Pandava'}, {'term': 'गले समालिङ्ग्य (gale samāliṅgya)', 'meaning': 'embracing around the neck'}, {'term': 'मूर्ध्नि (mūrdhni)', 'meaning': 'on the head'}, {'term': 'आघ्रात (āghrāta)', 'meaning': 'smelled/sniffed (as a gesture of affection/blessing)'}, {'term': 'आशिषः शुभाः (āśiṣaḥ śubhāḥ)', 'meaning': 'auspicious blessings'}, {'term': 'भारत (bhārata)', 'meaning': 'O Bharata

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• संजय (Sanjaya)
• युधिष्ठिर (Yudhishthira)
• भीमसेन (Bhimasena/Bhima)
• कुन्ती (Kunti)
• भारत (Bharata—address/lineage)
• द्रोणपर्व (Drona Parva)
• जयद्रथवधपर्व (Jayadratha-vadha Parva/section)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in the harsh setting of war, dharmic conduct is sustained through humane bonds—gratitude, reassurance, and auspicious speech. Yudhishthira’s embrace and blessing of Bhima models ethical steadiness: strength is guided and affirmed by righteousness and affectionate responsibility.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya marks the conclusion of the chapter on Yudhishthira’s anxious reflections within the Jayadratha-slaying section. In the closing scene, Yudhishthira embraces Bhima, smells his head as a gesture of affection and blessing, and speaks auspicious benedictions to him.