Shloka 51

Adhyāya 55: Pārtha–Rādheya Saṃvāda and Tactical Exchange

Chapter 55

Devanagari script

एष द्रोणस्य शिष्याणां शीघ्रास्त्रे प्रथणो मत: । एतस्य दर्शयिष्यामि शीघ्रास्त्रं विपुलं रणे

Transliteration

eṣa droṇasya śiṣyāṇāṃ śīghrāstre prathamo mataḥ | etasya darśayiṣyāmi śīghrāstraṃ vipulaṃ raṇe ||

Translation

ದ್ರೋಣರ ಶಿಷ್ಯರಲ್ಲಿ ಶೀಘ್ರಾಸ್ತ್ರ ಪ್ರಯೋಗದಲ್ಲಿ ಇವನೇ ಅಗ್ರಗಣ್ಯನೆಂದು ಎಣಿಸಲ್ಪಟ್ಟಿದ್ದಾನೆ. ಈ ಯುದ್ಧದಲ್ಲಿ ನಾನು ಅವನಿಗೆ ಶೀಘ್ರಾಸ್ತ್ರಗಳ ಮಹಾ ಪ್ರದರ್ಶನ ತೋರಿಸುವೆನು.

Word by Word

एषःthis (man)

द्रोणस्यof Droṇa

शिष्याणाम्of the disciples

शीघ्रास्त्रेin swift-weaponry / in rapid missile-use

प्रथणःforemost, eminent

मतःis considered

एतस्यof this (one)

दर्शयिष्यामिI will show

शीघ्रास्त्रम्swift weapon / rapid missile-technique

विपुलम्vast, great

रणेin battle

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Arjuna

Droṇa

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical weight of martial excellence: skill is recognized within a lineage (Droṇa’s disciples), yet it must be met with disciplined resolve. Arjuna frames his response not as mere boasting but as a measured demonstration of capability in a just contest, emphasizing competence and responsibility in warfare.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna identifies an opponent as the foremost among Droṇa’s students in rapid-weapon warfare and declares that he will counter by displaying his own powerful mastery of swift missiles on the battlefield.