Mahabharata 7.74.38 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 74, Shloka 38

अर्जुनस्य सैन्धवाभिमुखगमनम् तथा विन्दानुविन्दयोर्वधः

Arjuna’s advance toward Saindhava and the fall of Vinda–Anuvinda

Devanagari script

भुज्जानानां तु सव्येन उत्सज़े चापि खादताम्‌ | पालाशमासनं चैव तिन्दुकैर्दन्तधावनम्‌

Transliteration

bhuñjānānāṃ tu savyena utsṛje cāpi khādatām | pālāśam āsanaṃ caiva tindukair dantadhāvanam

Translation

భోజనం చేస్తున్నప్పుడు ఎడమ చేతితో త్యజ్యమైన (అపవిత్ర) దానిని పక్కకు వేసి, మరో చేతితో భుజించాలి; అలాగే పలాశ ఆకులతో ఆసనం, తిందుక చెట్టు కొమ్మతో దంతధావనం చేయాలి.

Word by Word

• भुज्जानानाम्: of those who are eating
• भुज्जानानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (वर्तमान कृदन्त), पुं, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• सव्येन: with the left (hand)
• सव्येन: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सव्य
• Form: नपुं, तृतीया, एकवचन

• उत्सजे: I let go / I release
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत्सज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, आत्मनेपद, उत्तम, एकवचन

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• खादताम्: of those who are eating/chewing
• खादताम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: खाद् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (वर्तमान कृदन्त), पुं, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• पालाशम्: made of palāśa (Butea)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पालाश
• Form: नपुं, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आसनम्: seat
• आसनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आसन
• Form: नपुं, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• तिन्दुकैः: with tinduka (Diospyros) twigs/wood
• तिन्दुकैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिन्दुक
• Form: पुं, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• दन्तधावनम्: tooth-cleaning stick (lit. tooth-washing)
• दन्तधावनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दन्तधावन
• Form: नपुं, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna
• palāśa (Butea monosperma)
• tinduka (Diospyros)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes disciplined personal conduct (ācāra) and cleanliness: maintaining proper bodily etiquette while eating, using appropriate natural materials for seating and dental hygiene, reflecting a dharmic concern for purity and self-restraint.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna is giving practical instructions on proper behavior and hygienic observances—how to manage cleanliness while eating, what kind of seat to use, and what twig to use for cleaning the teeth—presented as normative guidance within the broader epic context.