Shloka 29

Devanagari script

स्मिताभिभाषिणं शान्तं गुरुवाक्यकरं सदा | बाल्ये5प्यतुलकर्माणं प्रियवाक्यममत्सरम्‌

Transliteration

smitābhibhāṣiṇaṃ śāntaṃ guruvākyakaraṃ sadā | bālye 'py atulakarmāṇaṃ priyavākyam amatsaram ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: He was gentle, speaking with a quiet smile; calm by nature; ever obedient to the word of his teachers. Even in childhood his deeds were unmatched. His speech was pleasing, and he was free from envy.

Word by Word

• स्मिताभिभाषिणम्: one who speaks with a smile
• स्मिताभिभाषिणम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्मिताभिभाषिन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• शान्तम्: calm, peaceful
• शान्तम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शान्त
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• गुरुवाक्यकरम्: one who carries out the teacher's words
• गुरुवाक्यकरम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुरुवाक्यकर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• सदा: always
• सदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा

• बाल्ये: in childhood
• बाल्ये: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल्य
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• अपि: even, also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• अतुलकर्माणम्: one of incomparable deeds
• अतुलकर्माणम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतुलकर्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रियवाक्यम्: one whose speech is pleasant
• प्रियवाक्यम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रियवाक्य
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अमत्सरम्: free from envy
• अमत्सरम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमत्सर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True excellence is grounded in ethical character: calmness, pleasant and non-harmful speech, freedom from envy, and steady obedience to rightful instruction—virtues that remain meaningful even amid conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya is describing a person’s virtues—his calm demeanor, respectful obedience to teachers, extraordinary deeds from childhood, and lack of envy—highlighting the moral stature of the figure being spoken about within the Drona Parva war narrative.