Shloka 13

धृतराष्ट्रस्य सत्कारः — Dhṛtarāṣṭra Honored in the Post-war Court

Devanagari script

श्यालो द्रोणस्य यश्चवासीद्‌ दयितो ब्राह्मणो महान्‌ | सच तस्मिन्‌ महेष्वास: कृप: समभवत्‌ तदा,द्रोणाचार्यके प्रिय साले महान्‌ ब्राह्मण महा-धनुर्धर कृपाचार्य तो उन दिनों सदा धृतराष्ट्रके ही पास रहते थे

Transliteration

śyālo droṇasya yaś cāvāsīd dayito brāhmaṇo mahān | sa ca tasmin maheṣvāsaḥ kṛpaḥ samabhavat tadā ||

Translation

வைசம்பாயனர் கூறினார்— துரோணரின் அன்பிற்குரிய மைத்துனன், மேன்மைமிகு பிராமணன்—அவனே மகாதனுர்தரன் கிருபாசாரியர்; அக்காலத்தில் அவர் திருதராஷ்டிரனின் அருகிலேயே தங்கியிருந்தார்।

Word by Word

श्यालःbrother-in-law

द्रोणस्यof Droṇa

यःwho

चand

अवासीद्dwelt/was residing

दयितःdear, beloved

ब्राह्मणःa Brahmin

महान्great

सःhe

चand

तस्मिन्in him / in that (person)

महेष्वासःgreat archer (lit. having a great bow)

कृपःKṛpa

समभवत्became / came to be

तदाthen, at that time

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Droṇa (Droṇācārya)

Kṛpa (Kṛpācārya)

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical role of trusted, learned elders in stabilizing a kingdom after catastrophe: kinship and Brahmin counsel (through Kṛpa) remain central to sustaining royal duty and continuity.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana identifies Kṛpa as Droṇa’s brother-in-law and a great archer, noting that he was present and residing near/with Dhṛtarāṣṭra during this period, indicating Kṛpa’s continued proximity to the Kuru court.