Shloka 15

Droṇa’s Ācārya-Dakṣiṇā: Capture of Drupada and Division of Pāñcāla (द्रोण-आचार्यदक्षिणा)

Devanagari script

धार्तराष्ट्रश्न सहिता: क्रीडन्तो मुदिता: सुखम्‌ । बालक्रीडासु सर्वासु विशिष्टास्तेजसा भवन्‌

Transliteration

dhārtarāṣṭraiḥ sahitāḥ krīḍanto muditāḥ sukham | bālakrīḍāsu sarvāsu viśiṣṭās tejasā bhavan ||

Translation

துருதராஷ்டிரரின் புதல்வர்களுடன் சேர்ந்து மகிழ்ச்சியுடன் விளையாடிய அவர்கள் எப்போதும் களிப்புடன் இருந்தனர். எல்லா சிறுவர் விளையாட்டுகளிலும் தங்கள் இயல்பான ஒளி-வீரியத்தால் அவர்கள் சிறந்து விளங்கினர்.

Word by Word

• धार्तराष्ट्रैः: with the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra / by the Dhārtarāṣṭras
• धार्तराष्ट्रैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धार्तराष्ट्र
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• सहिताः: together (accompanied)
• सहिताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• क्रीडन्तः: playing
• क्रीडन्तः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्रीड्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• मुदिताः: delighted, joyful
• मुदिताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुदित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सुखम्: happiness; pleasantly
• सुखम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• बालक्रीडासु: in (all) children's games
• बालक्रीडासु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बालक्रीडा
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Plural

• सर्वासु: in all
• सर्वासु: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Plural

• विशिष्टाः: distinguished, pre-eminent
• विशिष्टाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विशिष्ट
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तेजसा: by (their) brilliance/energy
• तेजसा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तेजस्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• अभवन्: they were / became
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Dhārtarāṣṭras (sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra / Kauravas)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how innate tejas (brilliance and vigor) manifests early and becomes visible even in play; it implicitly suggests that character and capability are formed and revealed from childhood, foreshadowing later excellence and rivalry.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes the princes spending their childhood together with Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s sons, playing happily; in all games, they stand out as superior due to their tejas.