Shloka 23

द्रुपदवाक्यं

Drupada’s Counsel on Conciliation and Alliance Mobilization

Devanagari script

उद्धव: क्षेमकश्नैव वाटधानश्व पार्थिव: | श्रुतायुश्न दृढायुश्व शाल्वपुत्रश्न वीर्यवान्‌

Transliteration

Uddhavaḥ kṣemakaś caiva vāṭadhānaś ca pārthivaḥ | śrutāyuś ca dṛḍhāyuś ca śālvaputraś ca vīryavān ||

Translation

ద్రుపదుడు అన్నాడు— “ఉద్ధవుడు, క్షేమకుడు, రాజు వాటధానుడు; అలాగే శ్రుతాయువు, దృఢాయువు, వీర్యవంతుడైన శాల్వపుత్రుడూ.”

Word by Word

• उद्धवः: Uddhava (proper name)
• उद्धवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: उद्धव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• क्षेमकः: Kṣemaka (proper name)
• क्षेमकः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेमक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

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

• वाटधानः: Vāṭadhāna (proper name)
• वाटधानः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाटधान
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• पार्थिवः: Pārthiva (proper name; lit. king/earthly)
• पार्थिवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• श्रुतायुः: Śrutāyu (proper name)
• श्रुतायुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रुतायु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• दृढायुः: Dṛḍhāyu (proper name)
• दृढायुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दृढायु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• शाल्वपुत्रः: son of Śalva
• शाल्वपुत्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाल्वपुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• वीर्यवान्: valorous, possessing strength
• वीर्यवान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वीर्यवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

दुपद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• दुपद (Drupada)
• उद्धव (Uddhava)
• क्षेमक (Kṣemaka)
• वाटधान (Vāṭadhāna)
• श्रुतायु (Śrutāyu)
• दृढायु (Dṛḍhāyu)
• शाल्व (Śālva)
• शाल्वपुत्र (son of Śālva)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores how dharma in a political crisis is not isolated: the decisions of many rulers and allies collectively determine whether counsel, restraint, and justice prevail or whether conflict escalates into war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Drupada is naming and counting prominent kings/warriors—an enumeration of forces and allies relevant to the diplomatic and military preparations that characterize the Udyoga Parva leading toward the Kurukṣetra war.