Shloka 42

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

Devanagari script

पाज्चालो राजपुत्रश्न यज्ञसेनो महाबल: । इष्वस्त्रहेतोर्न्यवसत्‌ तस्मिन्नेव गुरौ प्रभु:,उन दिनों पंचालराजकुमार महाबली यज्ञसेन ट्रुपद भी, जो बड़े शक्तिशाली थे, धनुर्वेदकी शिक्षा पानेके लिये उन्हीं गुरुदेव अग्निवेशके समीप रहते थे

Transliteration

Pāñcālo rājaputraś ca Yajñaseno mahābalaḥ | iṣv-astrā-hetor nyavasat tasminn eva gurau prabhuḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśaṃpāyana said: The Pāñcāla prince Yajñasena (Drupada), a man of great strength and authority, also lived with that very same teacher, seeking instruction in archery and the science of weapons. The verse situates Drupada within the disciplined world of Vedic-royal education, where even powerful princes submit to a guru for mastery of arms—an ethical reminder that legitimate power is grounded in training, restraint, and proper tutelage.

Word by Word

पाञ्चालःthe Panchala (king/prince of Panchala)

राजपुत्रःking's son, prince

यज्ञसेनःYajñasena (Drupada)

महाबलःmighty, of great strength

इष्वस्त्रहेतोःfor the sake of archery/weaponry (bow-and-weapons), for learning arms

न्यवसत्dwelt, stayed (lived)

तस्मिन्in that (place/person)

एवindeed, just, only

गुरौwith/at the teacher (guru)

प्रभुःthe lord, the powerful one

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśaṃpāyana

Pāñcāla

Yajñasena (Drupada)

guru (teacher)

iṣu (arrows)

astra (weapons/weapon-science)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even those born to power must submit to disciplined learning under a guru; rightful strength in a kṣatriya is grounded in training, restraint, and proper instruction in the use of weapons.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana notes that the Pāñcāla prince Yajñasena (Drupada) lived with the same teacher to learn archery and weapon-science, placing him in the same educational setting as other royal students.