Shloka 42
Adhyāya 123 — Droṇa’s Pedagogy: Arjuna’s Preeminence, Ekalavya’s Self-Training, and the Bhāsa-Lakṣya Trial
ग्रामणीक्ष महीपालानेष जित्वा महाबल: । भ्रातृभि: सहितो वीरस्त्रीन् मेधानाहरिष्यति,“यह महाबली श्रेष्ठ वीर बालक समस्त क्षत्रियसमूहका नायक होगा और युद्धमें भूमिपालोंको जीतकर भाइयोंके साथ तीन अश्वमेध यज्ञोंका अनुष्ठान करेगा
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
grāmaṇīkṣa mahīpālān eṣa jitvā mahābalaḥ |
bhrātṛbhiḥ sahito vīras trīn medhān āhariṣyati ||
Vaiśampāyana dit : «Ce garçon, puissant et le plus éminent des héros, deviendra le chef de toute l’armée des guerriers. Après avoir vaincu les rois au combat, il fera accomplir, avec ses frères, trois sacrifices Aśvamedha.»
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse presents the ideal of kṣatriya-dharma: leadership of the warrior community, victory over rival kings, and the legitimization of sovereignty through great Vedic rites (Aśvamedha). Power is framed as something to be established publicly through both martial prowess and sacrificial responsibility.
Vaiśampāyana foretells the future greatness of a heroic boy: he will be acknowledged as a commander among kṣatriyas, defeat kings in war, and, together with his brothers, conduct three Aśvamedha sacrifices—signals of expansive royal authority and renown.