Shloka 14

Ādi-parva Adhyāya 132 — Duryodhana’s Instructions to Purocana at Vāraṇāvata

Lākṣāgṛha Planning

Devanagari script

तुल्येष्वस्त्रप्रयोगेषु लाघवे सौष्ठवेषु च । सर्वेषामेव शिष्याणां बभूवाभ्यधिको<र्जुन:

Transliteration

tulyeṣv astraprayogeṣu lāghave sauṣṭhaveṣu ca | sarveṣām eva śiṣyāṇāṁ babhūvābhyadhiko 'rjunaḥ pāṇḍunandanaḥ ||

Translation

ବୈଶମ୍ପାୟନ କହିଲେ— ସମାନ ଅସ୍ତ୍ର-ପ୍ରୟୋଗରେ ଓ ଫୁର୍ତ୍ତି-ସଫାଇରେ ମଧ୍ୟ ପାଣ୍ଡୁନନ୍ଦନ ଅର୍ଜୁନ ସମସ୍ତ ଶିଷ୍ୟମାନଙ୍କଠାରୁ ଅଧିକ ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ ପ୍ରମାଣିତ ହେଲେ।

Word by Word

• तुल्येषु: in equal (matters)
• तुल्येषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुल्य
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Plural

• अस्त्र-प्रयोगेषु: in the use/application of weapons
• अस्त्र-प्रयोगेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्त्रप्रयोग
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• लाघवे: in lightness/agility
• लाघवे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: लाघव
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• सौष्ठवेषु: in excellences/skillfulness
• सौष्ठवेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौष्ठव
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• शिष्याणाम्: of the students/disciples
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिष्य
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• बभूव: became/was
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अभ्यधिकः: superior/exceeding
• अभ्यधिकः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभ्यधिक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अर्जुनः: Arjuna
• अर्जुनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्जुन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Arjuna
• Pāṇḍu
• śiṣyāḥ (students/disciples)
• astra (weapons)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True excellence arises from sustained practice, focused curiosity for learning, and refined execution; superiority in skill is portrayed as merit-based rather than merely inherited.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana reports that during weapons training, Arjuna outperformed all other disciples in equal trials—especially in agility and finesse—establishing himself as the foremost student.