Shloka 34

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

Lākṣāgṛha Planning

Devanagari script

तस्मिन्नाचार्यवृत्ति च परमामास्थितस्तदा । इष्वस्त्रे योगमातस्थे परं॑ नियममास्थित:

Transliteration

tasminn ācāryavṛttiṃ ca paramām āsthitas tadā | iṣv-astre yogam ātasthē paraṃ niyamam āsthitaḥ ||

Translation

ତେବେ ସେ ଆଚାର୍ଯ୍ୟପ୍ରତି ଶିଷ୍ୟଧର୍ମର ପରମ ଆଚରଣ ଅବଲମ୍ବନ କଲା ଏବଂ ଇଷୁ-ଅସ୍ତ୍ରବିଦ୍ୟାର ଯୋଗରେ ନିବିଷ୍ଟ ହେଲା। ସେ ଅତ୍ୟନ୍ତ କଠୋର ନିୟମରେ ଅବସ୍ଥିତ ରହିଲା।

Word by Word

• तस्मिन्: in that (state/time/place)
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

• आचार्यवृत्तिम्: the conduct befitting a teacher / teacherly conduct
• आचार्यवृत्तिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आचार्यवृत्ति
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

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

• परमाम्: supreme, highest
• परमाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परमा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• आस्थितः: having adopted / abiding in
• आस्थितः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-स्था
• Form: क्त (past passive participle, used actively), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तदा: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

• इष्वस्त्रे: in archery / in the missile-weapon science
• इष्वस्त्रे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: इष्वस्त्र
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• योगम्: discipline, practice, application
• योगम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आतस्थे: he undertook / he applied himself
• आतस्थे: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-स्था
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• परम्: highest, great
• परम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• नियमम्: rule, restraint, discipline
• नियमम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आस्थितः: having adopted / observing
• आस्थितः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-स्था
• Form: क्त (past passive participle, used actively), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• ācārya (Droṇa implied by context)
• Ekalavya (from context)
• forest (vana, from context)
• clay image/idol of the teacher (mṛnmayī mūrti, from context)
• archery (iṣu-dhanurvidyā, from context)
• missile-weapons (astra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights disciplined learning grounded in reverence for the teacher: true mastery is pursued through niyama (strict observance), focused practice (yoga), and an inner commitment to the guru’s ideal—even when formal instruction is unavailable.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes Ekalavya’s resolve: he adopts exemplary disciple-like conduct, dedicates himself to archery and weapons-practice with strict vows, and (as the surrounding narrative explains) honors Droṇa by mentally installing him as teacher and practicing before a clay image in the forest.