Shloka 13

Droṇotpattiḥ and Dhanurveda-Prāpti

Origin of Droṇa and Acquisition of Martial Science

Devanagari script

बभूव स हि राजेन्द्रो दशनागबलान्वित: । अप्यत्र गाथां गायन्ति ये पुराणविदो जना:

Transliteration

babhūva sa hi rājendro daśa-nāga-balānvitaḥ | apy atra gāthāṃ gāyanti ye purāṇavido janāḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana berkata: Raja itu benar-benar memiliki kekuatan sepuluh ekor gajah. Wahai yang terbaik di antara kaum Kuru, para cendekia yang mengetahui Purāṇa menyanyikan di sini sebuah bait pujian turun-temurun tentang Raja Vyuṣitāśva: “Setelah menakluk bumi hingga ke lautan yang mengelilinginya, baginda melindungi rakyat dari segala varṇa seperti seorang bapa memelihara anak-anak kandungnya; dan dengan melaksanakan yajña-yajña besar, baginda mengurniakan kekayaan yang melimpah kepada para Brahmana.”

Word by Word

• बभूव: became/was
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/परफेक्ट), प्रथम, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• हि: indeed/for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• राजेन्द्रः: king of kings, emperor
• राजेन्द्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजेन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• दश: ten
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय/सर्वलिङ्ग, —, —

• नाग: elephant
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, —, —

• बल: strength, force
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, —, —

• अन्वितः: endowed with, possessed of
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्वित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √इ/ए (अन्व्+इ) से)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• अत्र: here, in this matter
• अत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र

• गाथाम्: a song/verse (laudatory lay)
• गाथाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गाथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• गायन्ति: sing
• Type: Verb
• Root: गै (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथम, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• ये: who (those who)
• ये: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• पुराणविदः: knowers of ancient lore (Purāṇas/tradition)
• पुराणविदः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुराणविद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• जनाः: people
• जनाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Vyuṣitāśva
• Kuru (addressed as 'best of the Kurus')
• Purāṇavidaḥ (lore-knowers)
• Gāthā (praise-verse)
• Elephants (as a measure of strength)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Ideal kingship joins power with protection: true royal excellence is not only physical might (symbolized by 'ten-elephant strength') but the ethical duty to nurture and safeguard all people impartially, and to uphold sacred order through yajña and generous giving.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana introduces King Vyuṣitāśva by noting his extraordinary strength and then signals that traditional lore-experts recite a gāthā praising him—framing him as a conquering yet benevolent ruler who cared for his subjects like a father and supported Brahmins through sacrificial rites and gifts.