Shloka 1

Devanagari script

- १३६ ॥- द्रोणपर्वकी सम्पूर्ण एलोक-संख्या ९९१७८ श्रवण-महिमा स्वधीते यत्‌ फल वेदे तदस्मिन्नपि पर्वणि । क्षत्रियाणामभीरूणां युक्तमत्र महद्‌ यश:

Transliteration

drauṇaparvaki sampūrṇa śloka-saṅkhyā 99178 | śravaṇa-mahimā svadhīte yat phalaṃ vede tad asminn api parvaṇi | kṣatriyāṇām abhīrūṇāṃ yuktam atra mahad yaśaḥ ||

Translation

In the Droṇa Parva, the total count of verses is 99,178. The merit and sanctifying power gained by hearing this section is the same fruit that the Veda declares for one who has properly studied it; that very fruit is found in this parva as well. Here, great glory is fittingly ascribed to fearless kṣatriyas.

Word by Word

द्रोणपर्वणिin the Drona-parvan

सम्पूर्णाcomplete

श्लोकसंख्याthe count of verses

९९१७८99,178

श्रवणमहिमाthe greatness (merit) of hearing

स्वधीतेin (its) proper study / when properly studied

यत्whatever / that which

फलम्fruit, result

वेदेin the Veda

तत्that (same)

अस्मिन्in this

अपिalso

पर्वणिin the parvan (section)

क्षत्रियाणाम्of the Kshatriyas

अभीरूणाम्of the fearless

युक्तम्is fitting / appropriate

अत्रhere

महत्great

यशःfame, glory

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Droṇa Parva

Veda

kṣatriyas

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 asserts the sacred efficacy of the epic: hearing this parva yields merit comparable to Vedic study, and it frames kṣatriya valor as ethically meaningful when it accords with rightful duty (dharma), thereby deserving great renown.

What is happening in the narrative?

This is a parva-level colophon-style statement: it records the total verse count for the Droṇa Parva and praises the spiritual benefit of hearing it, while highlighting the theme of fearless kṣatriyas and their fitting glory within the war narrative.