Shloka 17

Devanagari script

श्लाघते5यं सदा वीर पार्थस्य गुणविस्तरै: । पुत्रादभ्यधिकं चैनं भारद्वाजोडनुपश्यति,वीर! ये आचार्य द्रोण अर्जुनके गुणोंका विस्तारपूर्वक उल्लेख करते हुए सदा उनकी प्रशंसा करते हैं और उन्हें पुत्रसे भी अधिक प्रिय मानते हैं

Transliteration

ślāghate ’yaṃ sadā vīra pārthasya guṇa-vistaraiḥ | putrād abhyadhikaṃ cainaṃ bhāradvājo ’nupaśyati vīra ||

Translation

భీష్ముడు పలికెను—ఓ వీరా! ఇతడు పార్థుని గుణాలను విస్తారంగా చెప్పుతూ ఎల్లప్పుడూ ప్రశంసిస్తాడు; ఈ భారద్వాజుడు (ద్రోణుడు) అతనిని తన కుమారునికన్నా కూడా ఎక్కువగా ప్రియంగా భావిస్తాడు.

Word by Word

श्लाघतेpraises, lauds

अयम्this (person)

सदाalways

वीरO hero

पार्थस्यof Partha (Arjuna)

गुण-विस्तरैःwith detailed accounts of virtues

पुत्रात्than (his) son / from a son

अभ्यधिकम्more, exceeding

चand

एनम्him

भारद्वाजःBharadvaja’s son (Drona)

अनुपश्यतिregards, considers, looks upon

वीरO hero

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Pārtha (Arjuna)

Bhāradvāja (Droṇa)

Droṇa’s son (Aśvatthāman) (implied by “son”)

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 the ethical weight of recognizing merit: a true teacher openly honors a disciple’s virtues, even when that esteem surpasses personal ties. It underscores how excellence (guṇa) can command loyalty and affection beyond blood relations.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war deliberations, Bhīṣma describes Droṇa’s attitude toward Arjuna: Droṇa repeatedly extols Arjuna’s qualities in detail and regards him as more beloved than his own son, indicating Arjuna’s exceptional standing even among his opponents’ elders.