Shloka 86

Devanagari script

मनांसि तस्य योधानां ध्रुवमावर्तयिष्यति । परंतु आप राजा धुृतराष्ट्रसे धर्मयुक्त बातें कहकर उनके योद्धाओंका मन निश्चय ही अपनी ओर फेर लेंगे

Transliteration

manāṁsi tasya yodhānāṁ dhruvam āvartayiṣyati | parantu āpa rājā dhṛtarāṣṭrase dharmayukta bāteṁ kahakara unake yoddhāoṁkā mana niścaya hī apanī ora phera leṁge |

Translation

Drupada said: “He will surely turn the minds of that king’s warriors. Yet you, O King, by speaking to Dhṛtarāṣṭra words grounded in dharma, will certainly draw the hearts of his fighters over to your side.”

Word by Word

• मनांसि: minds
• मनांसि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• तस्य: of him/that
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• योधानाम्: of the warriors
• Type: Noun
• Root: योध
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• ध्रुवम्: surely, certainly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ध्रुव

• आवर्तयिष्यति: will turn back/redirect
• Type: Verb
• Root: आवर्तय् (आ + वृत्, causative)
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

दुपद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Drupada
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• warriors (yodhāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Dharma is presented as a persuasive and stabilizing force in politics: righteous speech and ethically grounded counsel can win loyalty more effectively than mere power or intimidation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Drupada is advising a kingly interlocutor that influence over the opposing side’s warriors can be achieved; specifically, by addressing Dhṛtarāṣṭra with dharma-aligned words, their resolve may shift and their allegiance may be drawn toward the speaker’s side.