Shloka 34

Ādi-parva Adhyāya 132 — Duryodhana’s Instructions to Purocana at Vāraṇāvata

Lākṣāgṛha Planning

Devanagari script

तस्मिन्नाचार्यवृत्ति च परमामास्थितस्तदा । इष्वस्त्रे योगमातस्थे परं॑ नियममास्थित:,शत्रुओंको संताप देनेवाले एकलव्यने द्रोणाचार्यके चरणोंमें मस्तक रखकर प्रणाम किया और वनमें लौटकर उनकी मिट्टीकी मूर्ति बनायी तथा उसीमें आचार्यकी परमोच्च भावना रखकर उसने थधर्नुर्विद्याका अभ्यास प्रारम्भ किया। वह बड़े नियमके साथ रहता था

Transliteration

tasminn ācāryavṛttiṃ ca paramām āsthitas tadā | iṣv-astre yogam ātasthē paraṃ niyamam āsthitaḥ ||

Translation

Then, having adopted the highest conduct befitting a disciple toward his teacher, he devoted himself to the discipline of archery and missile-weapons. Abiding by strict vows and self-restraint, Ekalavya—intent on honoring Droṇa—bowed at the teacher’s feet, returned to the forest, fashioned an image of the ācārya from clay, and began his practice of the bow with the teacher’s presence held as supreme in his mind.

Word by Word

तस्मिन्in that (state/time/place)

आचार्यवृत्तिम्the conduct befitting a teacher / teacherly conduct

चand

परमाम्supreme, highest

आस्थितःhaving adopted / abiding in

तदाthen

इष्वस्त्रेin archery / in the missile-weapon science

योगम्discipline, practice, application

आतस्थेhe undertook / he applied himself

परम्highest, great

नियमम्rule, restraint, discipline

आस्थितःhaving adopted / observing

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

ācārya (Droṇa implied by context)

Ekalavya (from context)

forest (vana, from context)

clay image/idol of the teacher (mṛnmayī mūrti, from context)

archery (iṣu-dhanurvidyā, from context)

missile-weapons (astra)

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?

The verse highlights disciplined learning grounded in reverence for the teacher: true mastery is pursued through niyama (strict observance), focused practice (yoga), and an inner commitment to the guru’s ideal—even when formal instruction is unavailable.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes Ekalavya’s resolve: he adopts exemplary disciple-like conduct, dedicates himself to archery and weapons-practice with strict vows, and (as the surrounding narrative explains) honors Droṇa by mentally installing him as teacher and practicing before a clay image in the forest.