Shloka 293

Adhyāya 123 — Droṇa’s Pedagogy: Arjuna’s Preeminence, Ekalavya’s Self-Training, and the Bhāsa-Lakṣya Trial

Devanagari script

सुतं ते5ग्रयं प्रदास्पामि सर्वामित्रविनाशनम्‌ | वह ब्राह्मणों

Transliteration

śakra uvāca | sutaṃ te 'gryaṃ pradāsyāmi sarvāmitra-vināśanam |

Translation

シャクラは言った。「汝に最上の子を授けよう――すべての敵対する者を滅ぼす子である。彼はバラモンと牛と善意の友の切なる願いを成就し、敵には悲嘆を与え、親族一同には歓喜をもたらすであろう。」

Word by Word

• सुतम्: son
• सुतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Dative, Singular

• अग्र्यम्: excellent, foremost
• अग्र्यम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अग्र्य
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रदास्यामि: I will give/bestow
• प्रदास्यामि: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + दा
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), 1st, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सर्व: all
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: —, —, —

• अमित्र: enemy
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमित्र
• Form: Masculine, —, —

• विनाशनम्: destroyer; destruction (as an epithet)
• विनाशनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विनाशन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

शक्र उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śakra (Indra)
• son (promised offspring)
• enemies (amitra)
• brāhmaṇas
• cows (gauḥ)
• well-wishers/friends (suhṛd)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames ideal rulership and heroic virtue as protective and beneficent: a worthy son (future leader/hero) should uphold dharma by safeguarding brāhmaṇas and cows, supporting well-wishers, and restraining or defeating hostile forces—bringing welfare to one’s community while checking adharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Indra (Śakra) speaks a boon, promising the recipient an outstanding son characterized by the power to destroy enemies and by a dharmic disposition that fulfills the needs of the righteous and delights kin, while causing sorrow to adversaries.