Shloka 44

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

Devanagari script

अथोयद्यानवरे तस्मिंस्तथा क्रीडागताश्न ते । परस्परस्य वक्त्रेभ्यो ददुर्भक्ष्यांस्ततस्तत:,तदनन्तर उस सुन्दर उद्यानमें क्रीड़ाके लिये आये हुए कौरव और पाण्डव एक-दूसरेके मुँहमें खानेकी वस्तुएँ डालने लगे। उस समय पापी दुर्योधनने भीमसेनको मार डालनेकी इच्छासे उनके भोजनमें कालकूट नामक विष डलवा दिया

Transliteration

atho yadyānavare tasmiṁs tathā krīḍāgatāś ca te | parasparasya vaktrebhyo dadur bhakṣyāṁs tatas tataḥ ||

Translation

ఆ తరువాత ఆ సుందర ఉద్యానంలో క్రీడించేందుకు వచ్చిన కౌరవులు, పాండవులు పరస్పరం సరదాగా ఒకరి నోట్లో ఒకరు ముద్దలు పెట్టసాగారు.

Word by Word

अथthen/now

उद्यानवरेin the excellent garden

तस्मिन्in that

तथाthus/so

क्रीडागताःcome for play

चand

अश्नन्तेthey eat

परस्परस्यof one another

वक्त्रेभ्यःfrom (their) mouths

ददुःthey gave/put

भक्ष्यान्edibles/food-bits

ततःthen/thereupon

ततःagain/at times

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Kauravas

Pāṇḍavas

garden (udyāna)

food/morsels (bhakṣya)

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?

Even in moments that appear playful and affectionate, inner motives matter: envy and adharma can operate under a mask of friendliness. The episode warns that ethical vigilance is needed when rivalry and resentment are present.

What is happening in the narrative?

In a beautiful garden, the Kauravas and Pāṇḍavas engage in playful feeding as part of their sport. The broader narrative context (as continued in the passage) contrasts this outward camaraderie with Duryodhana’s hidden intent to harm Bhīma by poisoning his food with Kālakūṭa.