Shloka 20

Omens in the Kuru Host and Droṇa’s Recognition of Arjuna (क्लीबवेषधारी पार्थ-परिज्ञानम्)

Devanagari script

एवमुक्ता प्रत्युवाच राजपुत्र बृहन्नला । का शक्तिर्मम सारथ्यं कर्तु संग्राममूर्धथनि,उसके ऐसा कहनेपर बृहन्नला राजकुमारसे बोली--“भला, मेरी क्‍या शक्ति है कि मैं युद्धके मुहानेपर सारथिका काम सँभाल सकूँ?

Transliteration

evaṃ uktā pratyuvāca rājaputra bṛhannalā | kā śaktir mama sārathyaṃ kartuṃ saṅgrāmamūrdhani ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Thus addressed, Bṛhannalā replied to the prince, “What power or competence do I have to take up the role of charioteer at the very forefront of battle?”

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• उक्ता: having been spoken to / addressed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वच्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular, kta (past passive participle)

• प्रत्युवाच: replied
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• राजपुत्रम्: the prince
• राजपुत्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजपुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• बृहन्नला: Bṛhannalā
• बृहन्नला: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बृहन्नला
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• का: what?
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• शक्तिः: ability, power
• शक्तिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• मम: of me / my
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular, 1st

• सारथ्यम्: charioteering, the role of charioteer
• सारथ्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सारथ्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कर्तुम्: to do, to perform
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: tumun (infinitive)

• संग्राममूर्धनि: at the forefront/head of battle
• संग्राममूर्धनि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संग्राममूर्धन्
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Bṛhannalā
• rājaputra (the prince, i.e., Uttarā/Uttara in context)