Shloka 39

द्रोणपर्व — अध्याय १६२: प्रातःसंध्यायां युद्धप्रवृत्तिः तथा रजोमेघे संमूढता

Devanagari script

इत्युक्त: परुषं वाक्यं पार्षतेन द्विजोत्तम:

Transliteration

ity uktaḥ paruṣaṁ vākyaṁ pārṣatena dvijottamaḥ

Translation

Sañjaya said: Thus addressed with harsh words by the son of Pṛṣatī (Dhṛṣṭadyumna), the foremost of Brahmins was met with a cutting rebuke—showing how, under the strain of war, even the venerable may be spoken to with severity, and how speech itself becomes a moral test of restraint and duty.

Word by Word

इतिthus

उक्तःhaving been spoken to / addressed

परुषम्harsh

वाक्यम्speech; words; statement

पार्षतेनby the son of Pṛṣat (Dṛṣṭadyumna)

द्विजोत्तमःthe best of the twice-born (a foremost Brahmin)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Pārṣata (son of Pṛṣatī; epithet)

Dvijottama (foremost Brahmin; unspecified in this half-verse)

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 ethical weight of speech: in the turmoil of battle, harsh words can arise even toward the venerable, making self-control (vāg-dama) and respectful conduct part of one’s dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that a ‘Pārṣata’ figure has spoken harshly to a ‘dvijottama’ (a foremost Brahmin). This line sets up the ensuing reaction and consequences of that rebuke within the Drona Parva war narrative.