Shloka 40

Vāraṇāvata-prasaṃsā and the Pāṇḍavas’ Departure (वरणावत-प्रशंसा तथा पाण्डव-प्रयाणम्)

Devanagari script

द्रोण उदाच महर्षेरग्निवेशस्य सकाशमहमच्युत । अन्त्रार्थमगमं पूर्व धनुर्वेदजिघृक्षया,द्रोणाचार्यने कहा--अपनी प्रतिज्ञासे कभी च्युत न होनेवाले भीष्मजी! पहलेकी बात है, मैं अस्त्र-शस्त्रोंकी शिक्षा तथा धरनुर्वेदका ज्ञान प्राप्त करनेके लिये महर्षि अग्निवेशके समीप गया था

Transliteration

drona uvāca mahārṣer agniveśasya sakāśam aham acyuta | artham agamaṁ pūrvaṁ dhanurvedajighṛkṣayā ||

Translation

Droṇa said: “O Bhīṣma, unfailing in your vow, once in former days I went to the presence of the great sage Agniveśa, seeking to obtain instruction in the science of archery and the knowledge of Dhanurveda.”

Word by Word

• {'droṇa uvāca': 'Droṇa said', 'mahārṣi': 'great sage

• eminent seer', 'agniveśa': 'Agniveśa (name of a sage/teacher)', 'sakāśa': 'presence

• near', 'aham': 'I', 'acyuta': 'one who does not fall from a vow/resolve

• here an epithet addressed to Bhīṣma as steadfast', 'pūrvam': 'formerly

• earlier', 'agaman': 'went

• approached', 'dhanurveda': 'the Veda/discipline of archery and martial weapon-science', 'jighṛkṣayā': 'with the desire to obtain/learn

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Droṇa
• Bhīṣma
• Agniveśa
• Dhanurveda

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights disciplined pursuit of knowledge through proper lineage: even a renowned warrior-teacher like Droṇa seeks instruction from an established sage, and it also underscores the ethical ideal of steadfastness in vows (as implied by addressing Bhīṣma as unwavering).

What is happening in the narrative?

Droṇa begins recounting an earlier episode: he approached the sage Agniveśa to learn Dhanurveda (the science of archery and weapons), setting up the background for his later role as a master of arms.