Shloka 38

Devanagari script

इति श्रुत्वा तु वचन द्रोणपुत्रस्य कौरव: । मनस: प्रीतिजननं कृपं वचनमत्रवीत्‌

Transliteration

iti śrutvā tu vacanaṃ droṇaputrasya kauravaḥ | manasaḥ prītijananaṃ kṛpaṃ vacanam abravīt ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Hearing these words of Droṇa’s son, the Kaurava (king) spoke to Kṛpa in a manner that gladdened his heart—addressing him with pleasing, conciliatory speech.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), कर्तरि

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• वचनम्: speech/words
• वचनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• द्रोणपुत्रस्य: of Drona's son (Ashvatthaman)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रोणपुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• कौरवः: the Kaurava (Duryodhana)
• कौरवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौरव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मनसः: of the mind
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस्
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• प्रीतिजननम्: producing delight
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रीतिजनन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कृपम्: to Kripa
• कृपम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृप
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वचनम्: words/speech
• वचनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अत्रवीत्: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect), परस्मैपद, Third, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Droṇa
• Droṇaputra (Aśvatthāman)
• Kaurava (Duryodhana)
• Kṛpa

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical power of speech in crisis: a leader, after hearing counsel, chooses words that are pleasing and conciliatory to steady allies and sustain morale. It implies that how one speaks—especially in war—can shape loyalty, clarity, and resolve.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates that after hearing Aśvatthāman (Droṇa’s son), Duryodhana turns to Kṛpa and addresses him with heart-pleasing words, indicating a shift into consultation and persuasion among the Kaurava commanders.