Shloka 51
पुत्रान् भ्रातृन् पितृन् दाराज्जीवितं चैव वासवि: | त्यजेत् सर्व मम प्रेम्णा जानात्येवं हि मे गुरु:,मेरे गुरुदेव ऐसा समझते थे कि अर्जुन मेरे प्रेमवश आवश्यकता हो तो अपने पिता, पुत्र, भाई, स्त्री तथा प्राण--सबका त्याग कर सकता है
putrān bhrātṝn pitṝn dārān jīvitaṃ caiva vāsaviḥ | tyajet sarvaṃ mama premṇā jānāty evaṃ hi me guruḥ ||
Arjuna said: “My teacher believed this about me: that out of affection for me, Vāsavi (Indra) would even renounce everything—sons, brothers, fathers, wives, and even life itself.” In the war’s moral pressure, Arjuna recalls how his worth and the bonds of loyalty were once judged so highly that even the king of the gods was thought capable of sacrificing all for him—raising questions about duty, attachment, and the limits of devotion.
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the perceived extremity of devotion and loyalty: Arjuna recalls that his teacher believed even Indra would give up family and life for Arjuna’s sake. It invites reflection on how affection and honor can be imagined to override ordinary attachments, and how such claims sit uneasily beside dharma’s demand for measured, rightful action.
In the Drona Parva’s intense battle context, Arjuna speaks about what his guru thought of him—namely, that Indra (Vāsavi) would renounce everything out of love for Arjuna. The statement functions as a recollection of past esteem and a way of framing Arjuna’s standing and the expectations surrounding him amid the war.