Mahabharata 1.134.20 — Adi Parva, Adhyaya 134, Shloka 20

Vāraṇāvata-praveśa and Jatugṛha-saṃdeha

Entry into Vāraṇāvata and Suspicion of the Lac-House

Devanagari script

रंगमध्यं तदा5<चार्य: सपुत्र: प्रविवेश ह | नभो जलधरैहीनं साड्रारक इवांशुमान्‌

Transliteration

raṅgamadhyaṁ tadā ācāryaḥ saputraḥ praviveśa ha | nabho jaladharair hīnaṁ sādrāraka ivāṁśumān ||

Translation

ພຣະທຣິຕະຣາດຕະກ່າວວ່າ: ຈາກນັ້ນ ອາຈານໂດຣະນະ ໄດ້ເຂົ້າໄປກາງສະໜາມ ພ້ອມກັບບຸດຊາຍຂອງທ່ານ. ທ່ານສ່ອງສະຫວ່າງດັ່ງດວງຈັນໃນຟ້າທີ່ບໍ່ມີເມກ ປານດັ່ງມີດາວອັງຄານຄຽງຂ້າງ—ພາບປຽບນີ້ເພີ່ມຄວາມຂັງ ແລະຄວາມເປັນມົງຄຸນຂອງຂະນະນັ້ນ. ມັນຍັງຊີ້ໃຫ້ເຫັນນ້ໍາໜັກທາງທໍາຂອງການສອນ: ສະໜາມບໍ່ແມ່ນແຕ່ບ່ອນສະແດງ ແຕ່ເປັນເວທີສາທາລະນະທີ່ຄວາມຊໍານານ ວິໄນ ແລະໜ້າທີ່ຂອງຄູອາຈານ ຈະຫຼໍ່ຫຼອມການປະພຶດໃນອະນາຄົດຂອງເຈົ້າຊາຍ.

Word by Word

• रङ्गमध्यम्: the middle of the arena
• रङ्गमध्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रङ्ग + मध्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तदा: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

• आचार्यः: the teacher (Drona)
• आचार्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: आचार्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सपुत्रः: together with (his) son
• सपुत्रः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + पुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रविवेश: entered
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √विश्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular

• ह: indeed/for emphasis
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह

• नभः: sky
• नभः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नभस्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• जलधरैः: with clouds
• जलधरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: जलधर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• हीनम्: devoid (of)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हीन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• सार्कः: together with the sun
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + अर्क
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इव: as if/like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• अंशुमान्: the radiant one (sun/moon; here: moon-like figure)
• अंशुमान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अंशुमत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

धृतराष्ट उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Droṇa (Ācārya)
• Aśvatthāmā (Droṇa’s son)
• raṅga (arena)
• nabhas (sky)
• jaladhara (clouds)
• aṁśumān (moon, as simile)
• Aṅgāraka (Mars, as simile)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse elevates the guru’s presence through celestial simile, implying that instruction and discipline carry public, ethical consequence. Droṇa’s entry signals that learning (especially martial and royal training) is not value-neutral: it shapes character, duty, and the future exercise of power.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛtarāṣṭra narrates that Droṇa, accompanied by his son Aśvatthāmā, enters the center of the arena. The text compares his radiance to the moon in a cloudless sky, with Mars nearby, emphasizing the grandeur and auspiciousness of the moment before the princes’ demonstrations and ensuing developments.