Shloka 27

द्रौपदी-वरण-प्रत्ययः — Intelligence Reports and the Kaurava Court’s Response

Devanagari script

न तद्‌ धनुर्मन्दबलेन शक्यं मौर्व्या समायोजयितुं तथा हि । न चाकृतास्त्रेण न हीनजेन लक्ष्यं तथा पातयितुं हि शक्यम्‌,“कोई बलहीन पुरुष उस विशाल धनुषपर प्रत्यंचा नहीं चढ़ा सकता था। जिसने अस्त्रविद्याकी पूर्ण शिक्षा न पायी हो, ऐसे पुरुषके अथवा किसी नीच कुलके मनुष्यके लिये भी उस लक्ष्यको गिराना असम्भव था

Transliteration

na tad dhanuḥ mandabalena śakyaṃ maurvyā samāyojayituṃ tathā hi | na cākṛtāstreṇa na hīnajanena lakṣyaṃ tathā pātayituṃ hi śakyam ||

Translation

Dhṛṣṭadyumna disse: “Aquele grande arco não pode ser encordoado por um homem de força débil—assim é de fato. Nem o alvo pode ser derrubado desse modo por quem não foi plenamente instruído na ciência das armas, nem por um homem de baixa linhagem. Para eles, tal feito é impossível.”

Word by Word

• {'na': 'not', 'tat': 'that', 'dhanuḥ': 'bow', 'mandabala': 'one of weak strength

• feeble', 'śakyam': 'possible

• feasible', 'maurvī': 'bowstring', 'samāyojayitum': 'to fit/attach

• to string (a bow)', 'tathā hi': 'indeed thus

• for it is so', 'na ca': 'and not

• nor', 'akṛtāstra': 'one not trained/initiated in weapon-lore', 'hīnajana': 'a low-born/mean person (socially inferior)', 'lakṣyam': 'target

• mark', 'pātayitum': 'to cause to fall

Speaker

धृष्टह्ुम्न उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Dhṛṣṭadyumna
• dhanuḥ (great bow)
• maurvī (bowstring)
• lakṣya (target)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse stresses adhikāra (fitness/qualification): great tasks—especially martial feats tied to royal contests—require strength and proper training; without disciplined instruction in astravidyā, success is not merely unlikely but deemed impossible.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛṣṭadyumna describes the conditions of a contest involving a formidable bow and a target: only someone strong enough to string the bow and properly trained in weapons can bring down the target; the untrained or socially disqualified are said to be unable to accomplish it.