Shloka 29

द्रोणकर्णयोः निशि संप्रहारः — Night Engagement with Droṇa and Karṇa

Devanagari script

यत्तु भक्तिमता कार्य सततं हितकाड्क्षिणा

Transliteration

yattu bhaktimatā kārya satataṁ hitakāṅkṣiṇā

Translation

Sañjaya dit : «Mais tout ce qui doit être accompli par celui qui est dévoué et qui recherche sans cesse le bien véritable…»

Word by Word

यत्that which

तुbut/indeed

भक्तिमताby/with a devoted person; by one possessing devotion

कार्यम्to be done; duty; task

सततम्always; constantly

हितकाङ्क्षिणाby one desiring welfare (of others)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames right action as duty performed with devotion and a steady intention toward true welfare (hita), implying that ethical conduct is guided by both sincere commitment and concern for what benefits others and the larger order.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya continues his report to Dhṛtarāṣṭra, introducing a principle about what should be done by a devoted, welfare-seeking person—likely as a lead-in to counsel, evaluation of conduct, or the justification of an action within the war narrative.