Mahabharata 7.116.2 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 116, Shloka 2

Śaineya’s Breakthrough and Reunion with Arjuna (शैनेयस्य समागमः)

Devanagari script

नित्यं पूजितमस्माभिरभिकामं च नः सदा । प्रौढमत्यद्भुताकारं पुरस्ताद्‌ दृष्टविक्रमम्‌

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

nityaṃ pūjitam asmābhir abhikāmaṃ ca naḥ sadā |

prauḍham atyadbhutākāraṃ purastād dṛṣṭavikramam ||

Translation

Sañjaya disse: “Nossa hoste sempre foi honrada por nós, e sempre se mostrou bem-disposta para conosco. É madura nas artes da guerra, de formação e aparência assombrosas, e é composta de homens cujo valor já foi visto na linha de frente.”

Word by Word

• नित्यं: always, constantly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य

• पूजितम्: honoured, worshipped
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूज्
• Form: neuter, nominative/accusative, singular, kta (past passive participle)

• अस्माभिः: by us
• अस्माभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, instrumental, plural

• अभिकामम्: as desired; willingly/with pleasure
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अभिकाम

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

• नः: to us / of us
• नः: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, genitive/dative, plural

• सदा: always
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा

• प्रौढम्: mature, fully developed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रौढ
• Form: neuter, nominative/accusative, singular

• अति-अद्भुत-आकारम्: having an exceedingly wonderful form/appearance
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आकार
• Form: neuter, nominative/accusative, singular

• पुरस्तात्: in front; before (one's eyes)
• पुरस्तात्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरस्तात्

• दृष्ट-विक्रमम्: whose prowess has been seen/proved
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विक्रम
• Form: neuter, nominative/accusative, singular, kta (past passive participle) used in compound

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Kaurava army (implied: 'our host')

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a ruler’s duty to honour and sustain those who serve (here, the army), and it stresses that true strength is not mere display but proven capability—valor tested and witnessed. Ethically, it implies that loyalty is cultivated through consistent respect, and that leadership should rely on demonstrated merit in critical roles.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya is describing the Kaurava military force to Dhṛtarāṣṭra, emphasizing that it has long been respected by them, remains devoted, is seasoned in warfare, impressive in formation, and composed of warriors whose prowess has already been seen at the front lines.