Shloka 6

Droṇotpattiḥ and Dhanurveda-Prāpti

Origin of Droṇa and Acquisition of Martial Science

Devanagari script

इमां च तावद्‌ धर्मात्मन्‌ पौराणीं शूणु मे कथाम्‌ । परिश्रुतां विशालाक्ष कीर्तयिष्यामि यामहम्‌

Transliteration

imāṃ ca tāvad dharmātman paurāṇīṃ śṛṇu me kathām | pariśrutāṃ viśālākṣa kīrtayiṣyāmi yām aham ||

Translation

വൈശമ്പായനൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ഹേ ധർമ്മാത്മാവേ! ആദ്യം എന്റെ വായിൽ നിന്നു ഈ പൗരാണികകഥ കേൾക്കുക. ഹേ വിശാലാക്ഷീ! ഞാൻ പൂർണ്ണമായി കേട്ട, സർവ്വത്ര പ്രസിദ്ധമായ ആ കഥ ഞാൻ വിവരിക്കും.

Word by Word

• इमाम्: this
• इमाम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• तावत्: for now / first
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तावत्

• धर्मात्मन्: O righteous-souled one
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• पौराणीम्: ancient / puranic
• पौराणीम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पौराणी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• शृणु: hear
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• मे: of me / my
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• कथाम्: story
• कथाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• परिश्रुताम्: well-heard / widely heard
• परिश्रुताम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि-श्रु (परिश्रुत)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• विशालाक्ष: O wide-eyed one
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशालाक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• कीर्तयिष्यामि: I shall recount / proclaim
• Type: Verb
• Root: कीर्तय्
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), First, Singular, Parasmaipada

• याम्: which
• याम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana (वैशम्पायन)
• Unnamed listener addressed as dharmātman (धर्मात्मन्)
• Unnamed listener addressed as viśālākṣa (विशालाक्ष)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds dharma-oriented listening and the authority of received tradition: a narrator should transmit what is well-attested and widely known, and a listener should approach such instruction with attentiveness and ethical seriousness.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana signals a transition into an ancient, widely renowned tale. He addresses his listener respectfully (as ‘righteous-souled’ and ‘wide-eyed’) and promises to recount a story he has heard in full, establishing credibility and setting the stage for the next episode.