Shloka 71

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

Lākṣāgṛha Planning

Devanagari script

वैशम्पायन उवाच ततो युधिष्ठिरं पूर्वमुवाचाज्धिरसां वर: । संधत्स्व बाणं दुर्धर्ष मद्वाक्यान्ते विमुडच तम्‌,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--जनमेजय! तदनन्तर अंगिरागोत्रवाले ब्राह्मणोंमें सर्वश्रेष्ठ आचार्य द्रोणने सबसे पहले युधिष्ठिस्से कहा--*दुर्धर्ष वीर! तुम धनुषपर बाण चढ़ाओ और मेरी आज्ञा मिलते ही उसे छोड़ दो”

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | tato yudhiṣṭhiraṃ pūrvam uvāca āṅgirasāṃ varaḥ | saṃdhatsva bāṇaṃ durdharṣa madvākya-ante vimocaya tam ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Then the foremost among the descendants of Aṅgiras—Droṇa—addressed Yudhiṣṭhira first: “O hard-to-overcome hero, set the arrow upon your bow; and when my command is complete, release it.” The scene underscores disciplined action: force is to be employed only under guidance and at the proper moment, not from impulse.

Word by Word

• {'tataḥ': 'then, thereafter', 'yudhiṣṭhiram': 'Yudhiṣṭhira (the eldest Pāṇḍava)', 'pūrvam': 'first, at the outset', 'uvāca': 'said, spoke', 'āṅgirasām varaḥ': 'the best among the Aṅgiras lineage (epithet of Droṇa in this context)', 'saṃdhatsva': 'fix (it), set in place (imperative)', 'bāṇam': 'arrow', 'durdharṣa': 'hard to assail

• formidable (vocative)', 'mad-vākya-ante': 'at the end of my words

• upon completion of my command', 'vimocaya': 'release, let fly (imperative)', 'tam': 'that (arrow)'}

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Droṇa
• Aṅgiras (lineage reference)
• arrow (bāṇa)
• bow (implied by setting the arrow)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights disciplined power: even a capable warrior should act only at the right time and under proper guidance. Restraint and obedience to a legitimate teacher’s command are presented as ethical foundations for martial skill.

What is happening in the narrative?

Droṇa, the preeminent teacher, addresses Yudhiṣṭhira first and gives a precise archery instruction: nock the arrow and release it only when the command is fully given, emphasizing controlled execution in training.