Shloka 14

Duryodhana’s Anxiety, Bhīṣma’s Reassurance, and Renewed Mobilization (दुर्योधनचिन्ता–भीष्मप्रत्याश्वासन–सेनानिर्गमनम्)

Devanagari script

ममैष आचार्यसुतो द्रोणस्यापि प्रिय: सुतः । ब्राह्मणश्न विशेषेण माननीयो ममेति च

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

mamaiṣa ācāryasutaḥ droṇasyāpi priyaḥ sutaḥ |

brāhmaṇaś ca viśeṣeṇa mānanīyo mame ti ca ||

Translation

Sañjaya dit : « Il est le fils de mon maître, et aussi le fils chéri de Droṇa. De plus, étant brahmane, il est à mes yeux tout particulièrement digne d’honneur. » Ainsi pensant, Arjuna—le premier des guerriers de char, qui brûlait ses ennemis—eut compassion du fils du précepteur (Aśvatthāmā) et se retint au cœur même de la guerre.

Word by Word

• {'sañjaya uvāca': 'Sanjaya said', 'mama': 'my

• to me', 'eṣaḥ': 'this (person)', 'ācārya-sutaḥ': 'teacher’s son', 'droṇasya': 'of Drona', 'api': 'also, even', 'priyaḥ': 'dear, beloved', 'sutaḥ': 'son', 'brāhmaṇaḥ': 'a Brahmin', 'ca': 'and', 'viśeṣeṇa': 'especially, in particular', 'mānanīyaḥ': 'worthy of respect/honor', 'iti': 'thus (quoting/thinking)'}

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Arjuna
• Aśvatthāmā
• Drona

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid warfare, dharma can require restraint: respect for one’s teacher’s family and for a Brahmin status is presented as an ethical reason to temper violence with compassion.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya describes Arjuna’s thought process regarding Aśvatthāmā: recognizing him as Drona’s beloved son and a Brahmin, Arjuna treats him with consideration rather than unbridled hostility.