Shloka 25

Droṇotpattiḥ and Dhanurveda-Prāpti

Origin of Droṇa and Acquisition of Martial Science

Devanagari script

छायेवानुगता राजन्‌ सततं वशवर्तिनी | भविष्यामि नरव्याप्र नित्यं प्रियहिते रता

Transliteration

chāyevā́nugatā rājan satataṁ vaśavartinī | bhaviṣyāmi naravyāghra nityaṁ priyahite ratā ||

Translation

രാജാവേ! നിഴലുപോലെ ഞാൻ എപ്പോഴും നിങ്ങളെ അനുഗമിക്കും; നിരന്തരം നിങ്ങളുടെ ആജ്ഞയ്ക്ക് കീഴിലായിരിക്കും. ഹേ നരവ്യാഘ്രാ! നിങ്ങള്ക്ക് പ്രിയവും ഹിതവും ആയതിൽ ഞാൻ നിത്യവും ലീനയായിരിക്കും.

Word by Word

• छायā: shadow
• छायā: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: छाया
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

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

• अनुगता: having followed, following
• अनुगता: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनु-गम्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• सततम्: always, continually
• सततम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सतत

• वशवर्तिनी: obedient, under (your) control
• वशवर्तिनी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वशवर्तिन्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• भविष्यामि: I shall be
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Simple Future (लृट्), 1st, Singular, Parasmaipada

• नरव्याघ्र: O tiger among men
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर-व्याघ्र
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य

• प्रियहिते: in (your) pleasure and welfare
• प्रियहिते: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रिय-हित
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• रता: engaged, devoted
• रता: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रम्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana (speaker/narrator)
• rājan (the king, addressed)
• naravyāghra (the king/hero, addressed)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse presents an ethic of steadfast loyalty: to accompany someone as inseparably as a shadow, expressed through obedience (vaśavartinī) and active commitment to the other’s welfare (priya-hita). It highlights service not merely as attachment, but as sustained concern for what benefits the one served.

What is happening in the narrative?

Within Vaiśampāyana’s narration, a woman (unnamed in this verse) addresses a king/hero, promising constant attendance, obedience to his commands, and dedication to his pleasure and well-being—using the vivid simile of a shadow that never leaves its bearer.