Mahabharata 7.113.263 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 113, Shloka 263

Adhyāya 113: Karṇa–Bhīma Śaravarṣa and the Battlefield Aftermath (कर्णभीमशरवर्षः)

Devanagari script

यः प्रतीयाद्‌ रणे द्रोणं यावद्‌ गच्छामि पाण्डवम्‌ | “आप पहले अपनी रक्षाकी व्यवस्था कीजिये। मेरे चले जानेपर कौन आपका संरक्षण करनेवाला है

Transliteration

yaḥ pratīyād raṇe droṇaṃ yāvad gacchāmi pāṇḍavam |

Translation

Sañjaya berkata: “Pertama sekali, aturlah perlindungan untuk dirimu sendiri. Setelah aku pergi, siapakah yang akan menjaga tuanku—siapakah yang akan berdiri menentang Droṇa di medan perang sehingga aku sempat pergi kepada Arjuna (dan kembali)?”

Word by Word

• यः: who (he who)
• यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रतीयात्: should face/should oppose
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-इ (प्रत्येति)
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• द्रोणम्: Drona
• द्रोणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun (Proper)
• Root: द्रोण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• यावत्: as long as / until
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत्

• गच्छामि: I go
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (गच्छति)
• Form: Present (Lat), 1st, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पाण्डवम्: the Pandava (Arjuna)
• पाण्डवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun (Proper/Patronymic)
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Droṇa (Droṇācārya)
• Pāṇḍava (Arjuna)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

In a crisis, duty includes prudent foresight: a leader must ensure protection and continuity of defense before delegating or departing, especially when facing a formidable opponent like Droṇa.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports a tactical concern: if someone goes to reach Arjuna, the immediate question is who will hold the line against Droṇa in the meantime; hence the insistence on arranging protection before leaving.