Shloka 20

Somadatta–Sātyaki Engagement; Bhīma’s Interventions; Droṇa–Yudhiṣṭhira Astra Exchange

Book 7, Chapter 132

Devanagari script

सेनां दुरोदरं विद्धि शरानक्षान्‌ विशाम्पते । ग्लहं च सैन्धवं राजंस्तत्र द्यूतस्य निश्चय:,तात! (असली जूआ तो वहाँ हो रहा है) जहाँ तुम्हारे बहुत-से कौरवयोद्धा खड़े हैं। इस सेनाको ही तुम जुआरी समझो। प्रजानाथ! बाणोंको ही पासे मान लो। राजन! सिंधुराज जयद्रथको ही बाजी या दाँव समझो। उसीपर जूएकी हार-जीतका फैसला होगा

Transliteration

senāṁ durōdaraṁ viddhi śarān akṣān viśāṁpate | glahaṁ ca saindhavaṁ rājan tatra dyūtasya niścayaḥ, tāta ||

Translation

Droṇa said: “Know this army to be the reckless gambler, O lord of the people. Take the arrows as the dice. And, O king, regard the Saindhava (Jayadratha) as the stake in this game—upon him the decision of victory or defeat in this ‘gambling’ will be made, dear one.”

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'senā', 'meaning': 'army

• host of troops'}, {'term': 'durōdara', 'meaning': 'reckless gambler

• one who gambles ruinously'}, {'term': 'viddhi', 'meaning': 'know

• understand (imperative of √vid)'}, {'term': 'śara', 'meaning': 'arrow'}, {'term': 'akṣa', 'meaning': 'die (dice)

• also ‘axle’ in other contexts—here clearly dice'}, {'term': 'viśāṁpati', 'meaning': 'lord of the people

• ruler/king (vocative)'}, {'term': 'glaha', 'meaning': 'stake

• the thing put at risk in gambling'}, {'term': 'saindhava', 'meaning': 'the Sindhu-king

• Jayadratha'}, {'term': 'rājan', 'meaning': 'O king (vocative)'}, {'term': 'dyūta', 'meaning': 'gambling

• game of dice (metaphor for hazardous contest)'}, {'term': 'niścaya', 'meaning': 'decision

• outcome'}, {'term': 'tāta', 'meaning': 'dear one

Speaker

द्रोण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Droṇa
• Jayadratha (Saindhava, Sindhu-rāja)
• army (senā)
• arrows (śara)
• dice (akṣa)
• stake/wager (glaha)
• dyūta (game of dice)