Shloka 17

द्रोणनिन्दाश्रवणं तथा सात्यकि–पार्षतविवादः

Hearing the reproach of Droṇa and the Sātyaki–Pārṣata dispute

Devanagari script

अथैनं धनुषो5ग्रेण तुदन्‌ भूयो5ब्रवीद्‌ वच:

Transliteration

athainaṁ dhanuṣo'greṇa tudan bhūyo'bravīd vacaḥ

Translation

अथैनं धनुषोऽग्रेण तुदन् भूयोऽब्रवीद् वचः।

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• एनम्: him
• एनम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम् (एतद्)
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• धनुषः: of the bow
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुस्
• Form: neuter, genitive, singular

• अग्रेण: with the tip/front end
• अग्रेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्र
• Form: neuter, instrumental, singular

• तुदन्: piercing/prodding
• तुदन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: तुद्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), masculine, nominative, singular

• भूयः: again, further
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूयस्

• अब्रवीत्: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, singular, parasmaipada

• वचः: words, speech
• वचः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस्
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• bow (dhanuḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how, in the pressure of conflict, speech is often driven by force and urgency rather than calm deliberation—an ethical reminder that coercion can shape decisions and dialogue, especially in wartime.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates that someone (contextually a warrior) physically prods another person with the tip of his bow and then speaks again, indicating insistence or impatience in the midst of the battlefield situation.