Shloka 51
धृतराष्ट्र–दुर्योधन संवादः
Vāraṇāvata-vivāsana-nīti: Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Duryodhana’s Policy Dialogue
सर्वज्ञानविदं विप्र॑ सर्वशस्त्रभूृतां वरम् । ब्राह्मणेभ्यस्तदा राजन् दित्सन्तं वसु सर्वश:,बुद्धिमान् द्रोण उसी आश्रममें रहकर धरनुर्वेदका अभ्यास करने लगे। राजन्! किसी समय उन्होंने सुना कि “महात्मा जमदग्निनन्दन परशुरामजी इस समय सर्वज्ञ एवं सम्पूर्ण शस्त्रधारियोंमें श्रेष्ठ हैं तथा शत्रुओंको संताप देनेवाले वे विप्रवर ब्राह्मणोंको अपना सर्वस्व दान करना चाहते हैं
sarvajñānavidaṃ vipraṃ sarvaśastrabhṛtāṃ varam | brāhmaṇebhyas tadā rājan ditsantaṃ vasu sarvaśaḥ ||
Vaiśaṃpāyana said: O King, at that time Droṇa—wise and residing in his hermitage, intent on mastering the science of archery—heard that the great sage Paraśurāma, son of Jamadagni, was all-knowing and the foremost among all wielders of weapons, and that this eminent brāhmaṇa, a tormentor of foes, wished to give away all his wealth entirely to brāhmaṇas. The episode frames learning and power as inseparable from discipline and from the ethical question of how wealth and martial skill should be acquired and used.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical tension between martial power and moral responsibility: supreme skill (śastra-vidyā) is portrayed alongside the ideal of generosity (dāna) and the brāhmaṇa duty of giving. It also suggests that true mastery is sought through disciplined learning and proper sources of knowledge.
Droṇa, living in an āśrama and practicing archery, hears news about Paraśurāma—renowned as the foremost weapon-master—who intends to donate all his wealth to brāhmaṇas. This report sets up Droṇa’s approach toward Paraśurāma as a potential source for obtaining weapons-knowledge or resources.