Shloka 46

Adhyāya 55: Pārtha–Rādheya Saṃvāda and Tactical Exchange

Chapter 55

Devanagari script

अस्याविदूरे हि धनुर्ध्वजाग्रे यस्य दृश्यते । आचार्यस्यैष पुत्रो वै अश्वत्थामा महारथ:,इनके पास ही जिनकी ध्वजाके अग्रभागमें धनुषका चिह्न दिखायी देता है, ये आचार्यके ही योग्य पुत्र महारथी अभश्वत्थामा हैं। ये भी मेरे तथा सम्पूर्ण शस्त्रधारियोंके लिये माननीय हैं, अत: इनके रथके समीप जाकर भी तुम बार-बार लौट आना

Transliteration

asyāvidūre hi dhanurdhvajāgre yasya dṛśyate | ācāryasya eṣa putro vai aśvatthāmā mahārathaḥ ||

Translation

Arjuna disse: “Não longe daqui está o guerreiro cuja ponta do estandarte traz o emblema de um arco. É Aśvatthāmā, o grande combatente de carro—o digno filho do Ācārya (Droṇa). Deve ser honrado por mim e por todos os que empunham armas; por isso, mesmo que te aproximes de sua carruagem, deves recuar repetidas vezes, mostrando a devida contenção e respeito.”

Word by Word

• {'asya': 'of this (place/one)

• here', 'avidūre': 'not far away

• nearby', 'hi': 'indeed

• surely', 'dhanus': 'bow', 'dhvaja': 'banner

• standard', 'agre': 'at the front

• at the tip', 'yasya': 'whose', 'dṛśyate': 'is seen

• appears', 'ācāryasya': 'of the teacher (Droṇa)

• of the preceptor', 'eṣa': 'this (man)', 'putraḥ': 'son', 'vai': 'indeed

• certainly', 'aśvatthāmā': 'Aśvatthāmā (Droṇa’s son)', 'mahārathaḥ': 'great chariot-warrior

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna
• Aśvatthāmā
• Droṇa (Ācārya)
• banner (dhvaja)
• bow emblem (dhanus-cihna)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid conflict, dharma requires honoring worthy persons—especially one’s teacher and the teacher’s lineage. Arjuna signals that martial skill must be guided by restraint and respect, not mere aggression.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna identifies Aśvatthāmā by the bow-emblem on his banner and instructs his companion/driver to behave cautiously and respectfully near Aśvatthāmā’s chariot, acknowledging him as Droṇa’s eminent son and a formidable warrior.