Mahabharata 7.5.2 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 5, Shloka 2

Droṇācāryaḥ Senāpatiḥ

Droṇa Appointed Commander-in-Chief

Devanagari script

सनाथमिव मन्ये5हं भवता पालितं बलम्‌ | अत्र कि नु समर्थ यद्धितं तत्‌ सम्प्रधार्यताम्‌

Transliteration

sanātham iva manye 'haṁ bhavatā pālitaṁ balam | atra kiṁ nu samarthaṁ yad dhitaṁ tat sampradhāryatām ||

Translation

സഞ്ജയൻ പറഞ്ഞു—കർണാ! നീ ഈ സൈന്യത്തെ സംരക്ഷിക്കുന്നതിനാൽ ഇത് സനാഥമായതുപോലെ എനിക്ക് തോന്നുന്നു. ഇനി ഇവിടെ നമുക്ക് എന്താണ് സാധ്യം, എന്താണ് ഹിതകരം—അത് നന്നായി ആലോചിച്ച് തീരുമാനിക്ക.

Word by Word

• सनाथम्: having a protector; not helpless
• सनाथम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सनाथ
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• मन्ये: I think/consider
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (मन्यते)
• Form: Present, First, Singular, Atmanepada

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

• भवता: by you
• भवता: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: भवत्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• पालितम्: protected
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पालित (पा॒ल्/पाल् + क्त)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• बलम्: army/force
• बलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• नु: indeed/now (interrogative particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नु

• समर्थम्: possible/feasible; capable (thing to be done)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समर्थ
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• यत्: which/that (what)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• हितम्: beneficial; proper
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हित
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सम्प्रधार्यताम्: let it be well-considered/decided
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-प्र-धृ (सम्प्रधारयति)
• Form: Imperative, Third, Singular, Passive

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Karna
• the Kaurava army (balam)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Effective leadership in crisis combines protection with clear-sighted deliberation: one must assess what is realistically achievable (samartham) and choose what is truly beneficial (hitam), rather than acting from impulse.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya addresses Karna, acknowledging that the army feels ‘supported’ because Karna is guarding it, and urges him to deliberate and decide the most workable and advantageous next step in the unfolding battle.