Shloka 35

द्रोणवध-प्रश्नः

Droṇa’s Fall: Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Inquiry

Devanagari script

पलालकाण्डवर्णस्तु वार्थक्षेमिं तरस्विनम्‌ । ऊहुः सुतुमुले युद्धे हया: कृष्णा: स्वलंकृता:

Transliteration

palālakāṇḍavarṇas tu vārthakṣemiṁ tarasvinam | ūhuḥ sutumule yuddhe hayāḥ kṛṣṇāḥ svalankṛtāḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: In that fiercely tumultuous battle, the well-adorned black horses—of the hue of pale straw-stalks—bore along the swift and powerful (warrior), one who was a protector of wealth and welfare. The scene underscores how, amid the moral chaos of war, strength and careful provision (kṣema) are still marshalled to sustain a leader’s purpose and survival.

Word by Word

• पलालकाण्डवर्णः: having the color of a stalk of straw
• पलालकाण्डवर्णः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पलालकाण्डवर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• अर्थक्षेमिन्: one who secures welfare and safety (prosperity-and-protection)
• अर्थक्षेमिन्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्थक्षेमिन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तरस्विनम्: mighty/energetic
• तरस्विनम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तरस्विन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• ऊहुः: carried/bore
• Type: Verb
• Root: वह्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• सुतुमुले: in a very tumultuous (fierce) [situation]
• सुतुमुले: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुतुमुल
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• युद्धे: in battle
• युद्धे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• हयाः: horses
• हयाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: हय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• कृष्णाः: black/dark
• कृष्णाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृष्ण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• स्वलंकृताः: well-adorned
• स्वलंकृताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + अलंकृत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• horses (hayāḥ)
• battle (yuddha)