Shloka 13

द्रोणसेनापत्यं, व्यूहविन्यासः, उत्पातदर्शनं, आरम्भयुद्धम्

Droṇa’s Command, Battle-Formations, Omens, and Opening Engagement

Devanagari script

सैनिकाश्न मुदा युक्ता वर्धयन्ति द्विजोत्तमम्‌ दुर्योधन पुरस्कृत्य प्रार्थयन्तो महद्‌ यश: । दुर्योधनं ततो राजन्‌ द्रोणो वचनमब्रवीत्‌,दूसरे सैनिक भी प्रसन्न होकर दुर्योधनको आगे करके महान्‌ यशकी अभिलाषा रखते हुए द्रोणाचार्यकी प्रशंसा करके उनका उत्साह बढ़ाने लगे। राजन्‌! उस समय द्रोणाचार्यने दुर्योधनसे कहा

Transliteration

sainikāś ca mudā yuktā vardhayanti dvijottamam | duryodhana-puraskṛtya prārthayanto mahad yaśaḥ || duryodhanaṁ tato rājan droṇo vacanam abravīt |

Translation

Sañjaya said: The soldiers, filled with delight, praised the foremost of the twice-born (Droṇa) and sought to raise his ardour. Putting Duryodhana at their head and longing for great renown, they extolled Droṇa. Then, O King, Droṇa addressed Duryodhana with these words.

Word by Word

• {'sainikāḥ': 'soldiers, warriors', 'ca': 'and', 'mudā': 'with joy, in gladness', 'yuktāḥ': 'endowed with, possessed of

• engaged', 'vardhayanti': 'they increase, they encourage, they hearten', 'dvijottamam': 'the best of the twice-born

• epithet for a foremost brāhmaṇa (here, Droṇa)', 'duryodhana-puraskṛtya': 'placing Duryodhana in front

• making Duryodhana the leader/spokesman', 'prārthayantaḥ': 'desiring, seeking', 'mahat': 'great', 'yaśaḥ': 'fame, glory, renown', 'tataḥ': 'then, thereafter', 'rājan': 'O King (address to Dhṛtarāṣṭra)', 'droṇaḥ': 'Droṇācārya', 'vacanam': 'speech, words', 'abravīt': 'said, spoke'}

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Droṇa (Droṇācārya)
• Duryodhana
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by 'rājan')
• Kaurava soldiers (sainikāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how collective praise and the pursuit of fame can be used to intensify a leader’s resolve in war. Ethically, it points to the power of rhetoric and group enthusiasm to propel action—sometimes without examining whether the underlying cause aligns with dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that the Kaurava soldiers, delighted and eager for glory, encourage Droṇa by praising him, with Duryodhana placed at the forefront. Immediately after this surge of acclaim, Droṇa turns to speak directly to Duryodhana.