Shloka 90

Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 47 — Arjuna’s Deterrent Declaration

Sañjaya’s Report

Devanagari script

नमस्कृत्वा शान्तनवाय राज्ञे द्रोणायाथो सहपुत्राय चैव | शारद्वतायाप्रतिद्वद्धिने च योत्स्याम्यहं राज्यमभीप्समान:

Transliteration

namaskṛtvā śāntanavāya rājñe droṇāyātho sahaputrāya caiva | śāradvatāyāpratidvandvine ca yotsyāmy ahaṃ rājyam abhīpsamānaḥ ||

Translation

सञ्जय उवाच— शान्तनवं राजानं भीष्मं नमस्कृत्वा, द्रोणं च सहपुत्रं, शारद्वतं कृपं चाप्रतिद्वन्द्विनं प्रणम्य, राज्यमभीप्समानोऽहं नूनं योत्स्ये।

Word by Word

• {'namaskṛtvā': 'having saluted, having paid homage', 'śāntanavāya': 'to the son/descendant of Śāntanu (Bhīṣma)', 'rājñe': 'to the king (dative singular)', 'droṇāya': 'to Droṇa (the teacher, commander)', 'atho': 'and then

• moreover', 'sahaputrāya': 'together with (his) son

• to the one accompanied by his son (Aśvatthāman)', 'caiva': 'and indeed

• and also', 'śāradvatāya': 'to Śāradvata (Kṛpa, son of Śaradvat)', 'apratidvandvine': 'to one who has no rival/opponent

• unmatched', 'yotsyāmi': 'I will fight', 'aham': 'I', 'rājyam': 'kingdom, sovereignty', 'abhīpsamānaḥ': 'desiring, seeking to obtain'}

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhīṣma (Śāntanava, son of Śāntanu)
• Śāntanu
• Droṇa
• Aśvatthāman
• Kṛpa (Śāradvata)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the moral strain of warfare within a shared lineage and teacher-student bonds: one may still perform outward reverence to elders and gurus, yet be propelled by political desire (rājya) into violent conflict—raising questions about dharma, loyalty, and ambition.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Udyoga Parva’s war-preparation context, the speaker declares that after saluting the senior Kuru leaders and teachers—Bhīṣma, Droṇa, Droṇa’s son Aśvatthāman, and Kṛpa—he will proceed to fight with the aim of securing the kingdom.