Shloka 22

अर्जुनस्य रथाश्वमोचनं कृष्णस्याश्वसेवा च

Arjuna’s Horses Freed; Krishna’s Equine Service

Devanagari script

उपसंग्रहणं कृत्वा द्रोणाय स विशाम्पते । उपोपविश्य प्रणत: पर्यपृच्छदिदं तदा,महाराज! उस समय उसने द्रोणाचार्यके चरण छूकर विधिपूर्वक प्रणाम किया और पास बैठकर प्रणतभावसे इस प्रकार पूछा--

Transliteration

upasaṅgrahaṇaṃ kṛtvā droṇāya sa viśāmpate | upopaviśya praṇataḥ paryapṛcchad idaṃ tadā ||

Translation

మహారాజా! అప్పుడు అతడు ద్రోణాచార్యుని పాదాలకు విధివిధానంగా నమస్కరించి; దగ్గర కూర్చొని వినయంతో ఆ సమయంలో ఈ ప్రశ్న అడిగాడు.

Word by Word

उपसंग्रहणम्gathering up; collecting (of weapons/arms)

कृत्वाhaving done

द्रोणायto Drona

सःhe

विशाम्of the people; of the subjects

पतेO lord

उपोपविश्यhaving sat down near

प्रणतःbowed; reverent

पर्यपृच्छत्asked; inquired

इदम्this

तदाthen; at that time

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Droṇa (Droṇācārya)

Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by viśāmpate)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic conduct in seeking guidance: even in a violent and urgent wartime setting, one approaches a teacher with self-restraint, proper ritual respect, and humility, implying that right counsel is best received through disciplined reverence rather than arrogance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that a prince approaches Droṇa, pays formal respects by bowing at his feet, sits near him, and then begins to ask a question—setting up the next speech or request directed to Droṇa.