Shloka 69

Ādi-parva Adhyāya 132 — Duryodhana’s Instructions to Purocana at Vāraṇāvata

Lākṣāgṛha Planning

Devanagari script

द्रोण उदाच शीघ्र भवन्त: सर्वेडपि धनूंष्यादाय सर्वश: । भासमेतं समुद्दिश्य तिष्ठ ध्वं संधितेषव:,द्रोण बोले--तुम सब लोग इस गीधको बींधनेके लिये शीघ्र ही धनुष लेकर उसपर बाण चढ़ाकर खड़े हो जाओ

Transliteration

Vaiśampāyana uvāca: Droṇa uvāca—śīghraṁ bhavantaḥ sarve ’pi dhanūṁṣy ādāya sarvaśaḥ | bhāsam etaṁ samuddiśya tiṣṭhadhvaṁ sandhiteṣavaḥ ||

Translation

ద్రోణుడు పలికెను—“మీ అందరూ త్వరగా ధనుస్సులు తీసుకోండి; బాణం ఎక్కించి ఈ గద్దను లక్ష్యంగా చేసుకొని సిద్ధంగా నిలబడండి.”

Word by Word

द्रोणःDroṇa

उवाचsaid

शीघ्रम्quickly

भवन्तःyou (honorific), sirs

सर्वेall

अपिalso/indeed

धनूंषिbows

आदायhaving taken

सर्वशःin every way / altogether

भासम्the vulture (bhāsa)

एतम्this

समुद्दिश्यhaving aimed at / having indicated as target

तिष्ठतstand (be ready)

ध्वम्you (plural, enclitic)

संधितेषवःwith arrows fixed/placed (on the bowstring), i.e., ready with fitted arrows

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Droṇa

bows (dhanus)

arrows (iṣu)

bhāsa (bird/raptor target)

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 emphasizes disciplined readiness and focused aim: true martial competence comes from controlled attention and precise preparation under a teacher’s command, not from haste or brute strength.

What is happening in the narrative?

Droṇa orders the assembled students to take their bows, set arrows, and stand prepared while aiming at a specific bird target, initiating a practical test of archery and concentration.