Shloka 50

Devanagari script

इति श्रीमहाभारते विराटपर्वणि गोहरणपर्वणि उत्तरगाग्रहे द्रौणिवाक्यं नाम पज्चाशत्तमोडथ्याय:,इस प्रकार श्रीमह्याभारत विराटपर्वके अन्तर्गत गोहरणपर्वमें उत्तरयोग्रहके समय अश्वत्थामावाक्यविषयक पचासवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ

Transliteration

iti śrīmahābhārate virāṭaparvaṇi goharaṇaparvaṇi uttarāgāgrahe drauṇivākyaṃ nāma pañcāśattamo 'dhyāyaḥ

Translation

Thus ends the fiftieth chapter of the Virāṭa Parva of the Śrī Mahābhārata, within the section on the cattle-raid, at the time of Uttara’s taking the lead—entitled “The Speech of Drauṇi (Aśvatthāmā).”

Word by Word

इतिthus; end-quote marker

श्रीमहाभारतेin the Śrī-Mahābhārata

विराटपर्वणिin the Virāṭa-parvan

गोहरणपर्वणिin the (sub-)parvan of cattle-stealing

उत्तरगाग्रहेat the seizing/capture of Uttarā (or: at the episode called Uttarā-graha)

द्रौणिवाक्यंthe speech/statement of Droṇi (Aśvatthāman)

नामnamed; called

पञ्चाशत्तमःfiftieth

अध्यायःchapter

Speaker

कृप उवाच

Characters & Entities

Śrī Mahābhārata

Virāṭa Parva

Goharaṇa Parva

Uttara

Drauṇi (Aśvatthāmā)

Droṇa

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?

As a colophon, the verse itself teaches by framing: it signals that speeches and decisions made during conflict are part of a larger moral narrative. The cattle-raid context highlights how kṣatriya valor, pride, and strategic counsel can either uphold dharma (right conduct in war and governance) or intensify adharma through aggression and provocation.

What is happening in the narrative?

This is the chapter-ending marker for Virāṭa Parva, chapter 50, identifying the setting (the cattle-raid section) and the moment (Uttara moving to the fore) and naming the chapter’s focus as the speech of Drauṇi (Aśvatthāmā). It indicates the completion of that discourse within the unfolding confrontation.