Mahabharata 7.78.16 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 78, Shloka 16
दुर्योधनकवचविमर्शः
Duryodhana’s Armor and the Tactical Reassessment
तपसा ब्रह्मचर्येण श्रुतेन प्रज्ञयापि च । सन््तो यां गतिमिच्छन्ति तां प्राप्तस्तव पुत्रक:
tapasā brahmacaryeṇa śrutena prajñayāpi ca | santo yāṁ gatim icchanti tāṁ prāptas tava putrakaḥ ||
ତପସ୍ୟା, ବ୍ରହ୍ମଚର୍ଯ୍ୟ, ଶ୍ରୁତି-ଅଧ୍ୟୟନ ଓ ପ୍ରଜ୍ଞା ଦ୍ୱାରା ସତ୍ପୁରୁଷମାନେ ଯେ ପରମ ଗତିକୁ ଇଚ୍ଛନ୍ତି, ସେଇ ଗତି ତୁମ ପୁତ୍ର ପ୍ରାପ୍ତ କରିଛି।
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that a noble end (gati) is attained through inner disciplines—tapas (austerity), brahmacarya (self-restraint), śruta (sacred learning), and prajñā (wisdom). It reframes death, even amid war, as potentially a spiritually meaningful attainment when grounded in virtue.
Vāyudeva addresses a grieving parent and offers consolation: the parent’s son has reached the same exalted state sought by the righteous. The statement shifts attention from battlefield loss to the son’s moral and spiritual fruition.
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