Shloka 39

द्रोणपर्व — अध्याय १६२: प्रातःसंध्यायां युद्धप्रवृत्तिः तथा रजोमेघे संमूढता

Devanagari script

इत्युक्त: परुषं वाक्यं पार्षतेन द्विजोत्तम:

Transliteration

ity uktaḥ paruṣaṁ vākyaṁ pārṣatena dvijottamaḥ

Translation

Sañjaya dit : Ainsi apostrophé par des paroles rudes par le fils de Pṛṣatī (Dhṛṣṭadyumna), le plus éminent des brahmanes se trouva confronté à un reproche tranchant. Cela montre que, sous la pression de la guerre, même les êtres vénérables peuvent être interpellés avec dureté, et que la parole elle-même devient une épreuve morale de retenue et de devoir.

Word by Word

इतिthus

उक्तःhaving been spoken to / addressed

परुषम्harsh

वाक्यम्speech; words; statement

पार्षतेनby the son of Pṛṣat (Dṛṣṭadyumna)

द्विजोत्तमःthe best of the twice-born (a foremost Brahmin)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Pārṣata (son of Pṛṣatī; epithet)

Dvijottama (foremost Brahmin; unspecified in this half-verse)

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 highlights the ethical weight of speech: in the turmoil of battle, harsh words can arise even toward the venerable, making self-control (vāg-dama) and respectful conduct part of one’s dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that a ‘Pārṣata’ figure has spoken harshly to a ‘dvijottama’ (a foremost Brahmin). This line sets up the ensuing reaction and consequences of that rebuke within the Drona Parva war narrative.