Shloka 31

Devanagari script

तच्छुत्वा तु वचो राजंस्तव पुत्रस्य धन्विन:

Transliteration

tac chrutvā tu vaco rājan tava putrasya dhanvinaḥ

Translation

ഹേ രാജാവേ, നിങ്ങളുടെ ധനുർധരനായ പുത്രന്റെ ആ വാക്കുകൾ കേട്ടപ്പോൾ—

Word by Word

• तत्: that (speech/statement)
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Active, Prior action (having heard)

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• वचः: speech/words
• वचः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• तव: of you/your
• तव: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

• पुत्रस्य: of (your) son
• पुत्रस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• धन्विनः: of the archer/bowman
• धन्विनः: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धन्विन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (rājan)
• tava putra (your son, i.e., a Kaurava prince)
• dhanvin (the archer)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical weight of listening: decisions in war and governance turn on how counsel and speech are received. It frames action as a response to heard words, underscoring responsibility for what one chooses to accept and act upon.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya continues his battlefield report to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra, marking a transition: after certain words are spoken (in the preceding context), the narrative now turns to what the king’s son—the archer—does upon hearing them.