Shloka 26

धृतराष्ट्रस्य मूर्च्छा तथा द्रोणविषयकप्रश्नाः

Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Fainting and Questions Concerning Droṇa

Devanagari script

न हाहं परिपश्यामि वधे कज्चन शुष्मिण:

Transliteration

na hāhaṁ paripaśyāmi vadhe kañcana śuṣmiṇaḥ

Translation

Dhṛtarāṣṭra said: “Alas, I do not see any man of fiery prowess who can bring about his death.”

Word by Word

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• हा: alas!/ah!
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हा

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम्
• Form: common, nominative, singular

• परिपश्यामि: I see/foresee clearly
• Type: Verb
• Root: पश्य् (दृश्-अर्थे)
• Form: present (lat), 1st, singular, parasmaipada

• वधे: in (the matter of) killing/slaying
• वधे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वध
• Form: masculine, locative, singular

• कञ्चन: anyone (at all)
• कञ्चन: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: क (किम्-प्रातिपदिक) + चन
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• शुष्मिणः: of the mighty/spirited one
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुष्मिन्
• Form: masculine, genitive, singular

Speaker

धृतराष्ट उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how attachment and fear distort judgment: Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s concern is fixed on whether a formidable warrior can be slain, reflecting the ethical blindness that accompanies partisan thinking in war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛtarāṣṭra, hearing reports of the battle, voices despair that he cannot foresee anyone capable of killing a certain powerful combatant, revealing his agitation about the shifting balance of power on the battlefield.