Shloka 46

Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 50 — Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Appraisal of Bhīmasena (भीमसेनभयवर्णनम्)

Devanagari script

आर्यव्रतं तु जानन्त: संगरान्तं विधित्सव: । सेनामुखेषु स्थास्यन्ति मामकानां नरर्षभा:,तथापि ये नरश्रेष्ठ शिष्ट पुरुषोंके व्रतको जानते हैं, इसलिये युद्धमें प्राणत्याग करनेकी इच्छासे मेरे पुत्रोंकी सेनाके अग्रभागमें डटे रहेंगे

Transliteration

āryavrataṃ tu jānantaḥ saṅgarāntaṃ vidhitsavaḥ | senāmukheṣu sthāsyanti māmakānāṃ nararṣabhāḥ ||

Translation

Dhṛtarāṣṭra said: “Those bull-like men, knowing the noble code of conduct and longing to meet their end in battle, will stand firm at the very front of my sons’ army.”

Word by Word

• आर्यव्रतम्: the noble code/vow (of the righteous)
• आर्यव्रतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आर्यव्रत
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• जानन्तः: knowing
• जानन्तः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural, शतृ (present active participle)

• सङ्गरान्तम्: the end/limit in battle (i.e., death in battle)
• सङ्गरान्तम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सङ्गरान्त
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विधित्सवः: desiring to attain/bring about
• विधित्सवः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विधित्सु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural, इच्छार्थक (desiderative adjective: 'wishing to do/attain')

• सेनामुखेषु: in the fronts/vanguards of the army
• सेनामुखेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेनामुख
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Plural

• स्थास्यन्ति: they will stand/remain
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था
• Form: Simple Future (लृट्), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• मामकानाम्: of my (people/sons)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मामक
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• नरर्षभाः: bulls among men, best of men
• नरर्षभाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरर्षभ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

धृतराष्ट उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Kaurava army (māmakāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames frontline fighting as an expression of āryavrata—an honorable ethical code—where elite warriors accept the risk of death as part of their dharma and commitment to their side.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛtarāṣṭra describes how eminent warriors on the Kaurava side, motivated by honor and readiness to die in battle, will take position at the very front of his sons’ forces.