Shloka 61

Drupada’s Alarm and Inquiry Regarding Śikhaṇḍinī (द्रुपदस्य भय-विमर्शः)

Devanagari script

प्रतिपेदे चतुष्पादं धनुर्वेद॑ नृपात्मज: । शिखण्डी सह युष्माभिर्धष्द्युम्नश्व॒ पार्षत:,इस प्रकार द्रुपदपुत्र शिखण्डी तथा धृष्टद्युम्नने तुम सब भाइयोंके साथ ही ग्रहण, धारण, प्रयोग और प्रतीकार--इन चार पादोंसे युक्त धनुर्वेदका अध्ययन किया

Transliteration

pratipede catuṣpādaṃ dhanurvedaṃ nṛpātmajaḥ | śikhaṇḍī saha yuṣmābhir dhṛṣṭadyumnaś ca pārṣataḥ ||

Translation

Bhīṣma said: The prince mastered the fourfold discipline of archery—acquisition, retention, application, and counter-measures. Thus Śikhaṇḍin, and Dhṛṣṭadyumna the son of Drupada, studied the science of the bow together with you brothers.

Word by Word

प्रतिपेदेlearned/attained

चand

चतुष्पादम्having four parts/quarters

धनुर्वेदम्the science of archery

नृपात्मजःthe king’s son (prince)

शिखण्डीShikhandi

सहtogether with

युष्माभिःwith you (all)

धृष्टद्युम्नःDhrishtadyumna

चand

पार्षतःthe son of Prishata/Drupada (epithet)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Śikhaṇḍin

Dhṛṣṭadyumna

Drupada (implied by ‘son of Drupada’)

Dhanurveda

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?

Martial knowledge is presented as a structured discipline: not merely learning to shoot, but also to retain skill, apply it rightly, and counter an adversary. For kṣatriyas, competence includes restraint, preparedness, and strategic understanding—skills that shape ethical responsibility in war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma recalls how Śikhaṇḍin and Dhṛṣṭadyumna, along with the addressed brothers, underwent formal training in Dhanurveda. The verse emphasizes comprehensive instruction in four aspects of weapon-science, highlighting their preparedness for the coming conflict.