Shloka 41

धृतराष्ट्रस्य मूर्च्छा तथा द्रोणविषयकप्रश्नाः

Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Fainting and Questions Concerning Droṇa

Devanagari script

द्रोणस्य समरे वीरा: के5कुर्वन्त परां धृतिम्‌ कच्चिन्नैनं भयान्मन्दा: क्षत्रिया व्यजहन्‌ रणे

Transliteration

dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca | droṇasya samare vīrāḥ ke kurvanta parāṃ dhṛtim | kaccin nainaṃ bhayān mandāḥ kṣatriyā vyajahan raṇe ||

Translation

Dhṛtarāṣṭra said: “In Droṇa’s battle, which heroes are showing the highest steadfastness? Surely the Kṣatriyas—faint-hearted from fear—have not abandoned him on the battlefield?”

Word by Word

• द्रोणस्य: of Droṇa
• द्रोणस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रोण
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• समरे: in battle
• समरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: समर
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• वीराः: heroes/warriors
• वीराः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• के: which?/who (among them)?
• के: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• अकुर्वन्त: did/made
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• पराम्: supreme/great
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• धृतिम्: steadfastness/fortitude
• धृतिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धृति
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• कच्चित्: surely? I hope.../whether
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कच्चित्

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

• एनम्: him (this one)
• एनम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• भयात्: from fear
• भयात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• मन्दाः: weak/cowardly (ones)
• मन्दाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन्द
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• क्षत्रियाः: Kṣatriyas/warriors
• क्षत्रियाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• व्यजहन्: abandoned/left (behind)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada, वि

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

Speaker

धृतराष्ट उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Droṇa

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical expectation of kṣatriya-dharma: steadfastness (dhṛti) and loyalty in battle, and it critiques fear-driven desertion as a moral failing.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛtarāṣṭra anxiously asks Sañjaya about the state of the war under Droṇa’s command—who among the warriors is standing firm, and whether any frightened Kṣatriyas have deserted Droṇa in the fight.