Shloka 43

Devanagari script

आकर्णपलित: श्यामो ववसाशीतिपञ्चक: । रणे पर्यचरद द्रोणो वृद्धः षोडशवर्षवत्‌,जिनकी अंग-कान्ति श्याम थी, जिनके कानोंतकके बाल पक गये थे तथा जो चार सौ वर्षकी अवस्था पूरे कर चुके थे, वे बूढ़े द्रोणाचार्य रणभूमिमें सोलह वर्षके तरुणकी भाँति सब ओर विचरते रहे

Transliteration

ākarṇapalitaḥ śyāmo vayasā śītipañcakaḥ | raṇe paryacarad droṇo vṛddhaḥ ṣoḍaśavarṣavat ||

Translation

చెవుల వరకూ జుట్టు నెరసిపోయి, శ్యామవర్ణుడై, వయసులో వృద్ధుడైనా ద్రోణుడు రణరంగంలో పదహారు ఏళ్ల యువకుడిలా అన్ని దిశలలో సంచరించాడు.

Word by Word

आकर्णपलितःgrey-haired up to the ears

श्यामःdark-complexioned

ववसhad lived / had dwelt

अशीतिपञ्चकःa group of eighty (i.e., eighty years)

रणेin battle

पर्यचरद्moved about / roamed

द्रोणःDroṇa

वृद्धःold, aged

षोडशवर्षवत्like one of sixteen years (old)

Speaker

कृप उवाच

Characters & Entities

Kṛpa

Droṇa (Droṇācārya)

raṇa (battlefield)

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 that steadfast training, resolve, and warrior-dharma can make even an aged person appear youthful in action; at the same time, it invites reflection on the ethical weight of elders participating with full vigor in a destructive kin-war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Kṛpa describes Drona’s astonishing battlefield mobility and energy: despite visible signs of old age (grey hair), Drona ranges across the field as if he were a sixteen-year-old, emphasizing his formidable presence during the Drona Parva fighting.