Mahabharata 7.6.3 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 6, Shloka 3
द्रोणसेनापत्यं, व्यूहविन्यासः, उत्पातदर्शनं, आरम्भयुद्धम्
Droṇa’s Command, Battle-Formations, Omens, and Opening Engagement
तपसा च कृतज्ञत्वाद वृद्ध: सर्वगुणैरपि । युक्तो भवत्समो गोप्ता राज्ञामन्यो न विद्यते
tapasā ca kṛtajñatvād vṛddhaḥ sarvaguṇair api | yukto bhavatsamo goptā rājñām anyo na vidyate ||
തപസ്സും കൃതജ്ഞതയും ജ്യേഷ്ഠതയും മറ്റു സകല ഗുണങ്ങളും കൊണ്ടു സമ്പന്നനായ നിങ്ങൾ തന്നെയാണ് നിങ്ങളോടു തുല്യമായ യോഗ്യരക്ഷകൻ; ഈ രാജാക്കന്മാരിൽ നിങ്ങളെപ്പോലെ മറ്റൊരു രക്ഷകൻ ഇല്ല.
दुर्योधन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames ideal guardianship as grounded in tapas (self-discipline), kṛtajñatā (gratitude/loyal recognition of obligations), seniority, and comprehensive virtue—suggesting that legitimate protection of a realm depends on moral qualities, not merely power.
In the Drona Parva context, Duryodhana is addressing a respected elder/leader and extolling his qualifications as a uniquely capable protector among kings, using formal praise to affirm authority and secure committed leadership in the ongoing war.
Ask anything about this verse
Curious about the meaning, context, or a word? Ask, and continue the conversation in the Vedapath app.
A free Google sign-in keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Mahabharata in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with audio, word-by-word meanings, and more.