Shloka 27

Vāraṇāvata-prasaṃsā and the Pāṇḍavas’ Departure (वरणावत-प्रशंसा तथा पाण्डव-प्रयाणम्)

Devanagari script

द्रोण उवाच एषा मुष्टिरिषीकाणां मयास्त्रेणाभिमन्त्रिता,द्रोण बोले--ये मुदट्ठीभर सींकें हैं, जिन्हें मैंने अस्त्र-मन्त्रके द्वारा अभिमन्त्रित किया है

Transliteration

droṇa uvāca | eṣā muṣṭir iṣīkāṇāṁ mayāstreṇābhimantritā |

Translation

ଦ୍ରୋଣ କହିଲେ—“ଏହା ଇଷୀକାମାନଙ୍କର ଏକ ମୁଠି; ମୁଁ ଏହାକୁ ଅସ୍ତ୍ର-ମନ୍ତ୍ରରେ ଅଭିମନ୍ତ୍ରିତ କରିଛି।”

Word by Word

द्रोणःDrona

उवाचsaid

एषाthis

मुष्टिःfistful/handful

इषीकाणाम्of reeds/arrow-shafts

मयाby me

अस्त्रेणwith a weapon (missile)

अभिमन्त्रिताconsecrated/enchanted (by mantra)

Speaker

द्रोण उवाच

Characters & Entities

Droṇa

muṣṭi (handful)

iṣīkā (reeds/reed-shafts)

astra (weapon-mantra power)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights that martial power in the Mahābhārata is rooted in disciplined knowledge (astra-mantras), and that even ordinary objects can become dangerous when empowered—implying an ethical demand for restraint and responsibility in wielding such knowledge.

What is happening in the narrative?

Droṇa points out a simple handful of reeds and declares that he has empowered them through an astra-mantra, indicating a demonstration of his mastery and the transformative potency of mantra-based weaponry.