Shloka 23
Droṇotpattiḥ and Dhanurveda-Prāpti
Origin of Droṇa and Acquisition of Martial Science
त्वया हीना क्षणमपि नाहं जीवितुमुत्सहे । प्रसादं कुरु मे राजन्नितस्तूर्ण नयस्व माम्
tvayā hīnā kṣaṇam api nāhaṃ jīvitum utsahe | prasādaṃ kuru me rājann itas tūrṇaṃ nayasva mām, kṣatriyaśiromaṇe ||
“Tanpamu, aku tak sanggup hidup walau sesaat. Berkenanlah padaku, wahai raja; segeralah bawa aku pergi dari sini.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds the ideal of pativratā-dharma: a wife’s steadfast attachment to her husband, expressed as an ethical commitment so strong that separation is felt as unbearable. It also invokes royal compassion—requesting ‘prasāda’ (grace)—as a virtue expected of a king.
A woman addresses a king (praised as ‘kṣatriyaśiromaṇi’) and urgently begs him to take her with him at once, declaring she cannot endure life even for a moment without him.