Shloka 27

द्रोणपर्व — अध्याय 128: दुर्योधनस्य परसेनाप्रवेशः

Duryodhana’s Incursion and the Tumult of Battle

Devanagari script

धर्मराजवच: श्रुत्वा सारथि्हयकोविद:

Transliteration

dharmarāja-vacaḥ śrutvā sārathiḥ hayakovidaḥ

Translation

ಧರ್ಮರಾಜ (ಯುಧಿಷ್ಠಿರ)ನ ವಚನಗಳನ್ನು ಕೇಳಿ, ಅಶ್ವನಿಯಂತ್ರಣದಲ್ಲಿ ನಿಪುಣನಾದ ಸಾರಥಿ ಯುದ್ಧಧರ್ಮದ ಆ ಕಠಿಣ ಕ್ಷಣದಲ್ಲಿ ಕಾರ್ಯಸಿದ್ಧತೆ ಮತ್ತು ನಿಯಮಿತ ಸ್ಥೈರ್ಯದಿಂದ ಉತ್ತರಿಸಿದನು।

Word by Word

• धर्मराजवचः: the words/speech of Dharmaraja (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• धर्मराजवचः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मराज-वचस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund), Non-finite

• सारथिः: the charioteer
• सारथिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सारथि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• हयकोविदः: skilled/experienced in horses
• हयकोविदः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हय-कोविद
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dharmarāja (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• sārathi (charioteer)
• haya (horses)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds the ideal of disciplined action guided by righteous counsel: Dharmarāja’s morally weighted speech is received by a competent agent (the charioteer), suggesting that ethical intent must be matched by skilled execution, especially in the chaos of war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates that the charioteer, an expert in handling horses, listens to Dharmarāja’s words—setting up the next action or response in the battlefield sequence of Droṇa Parva.