Shloka 5

Devanagari script

के च तं वरदं वीरमन्वयुर्द्धिजसत्तमम्‌ | के चास्य पृष्ठतो5गच्छन्‌ वीरा: शूरस्य युध्यत:,उन वरदायक वीर विप्रवर द्रोणाचार्यके पीछे-पीछे कौन गये तथा युद्धपरायण शूरवीर आचार्यके पृष्ठभागमें कौन-कौन-से वीर गये?

Transliteration

dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca | ke ca taṃ varadaṃ vīram anvayur dvijasattamam | ke cāsya pṛṣṭhato 'gacchan vīrāḥ śūrasya yudhyataḥ ||

Translation

Dhṛtarāṣṭra said: “Which warriors followed that heroic bestower of boons, the foremost among the twice-born? And which valiant men marched behind him as he, the mighty hero, fought on?”

Word by Word

• के: who (plural)
• के: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वरदम्: boon-giving
• वरदम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वरद
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वीरम्: hero, warrior
• वीरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अन्वयुः: followed
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-या
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• द्विजसत्तमम्: the best of the twice-born (Brahmin)
• द्विजसत्तमम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज-सत्तम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• के: who (plural)
• के: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अस्य: of him, his
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• पृष्ठतः: from behind, behind
• पृष्ठतः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृष्ठतस्

• अगच्छन्: went
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• वीराः: heroes, warriors
• वीराः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• शूरस्य: of the brave one
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूर
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• युध्यतः: of (him) fighting
• Type: Verb
• Root: युध्
• Form: Śatṛ (present active participle), Masculine, Genitive, Singular

Speaker

धृतराष्ट उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Droṇācārya (implied by dvijasattama/varada in context)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical weight of leadership and allegiance in war: who chooses to follow a revered commander and who protects his rear reflects duty (dharma), loyalty, and the collective responsibility of an army in righteous or fateful conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛtarāṣṭra questions Sañjaya about the battlefield arrangement around Droṇa—specifically, which warriors advanced with him and which guarded or moved behind him while he fought—seeking clarity on the Kaurava forces’ support and positioning.