Shloka 293

Adhyāya 123 — Droṇa’s Pedagogy: Arjuna’s Preeminence, Ekalavya’s Self-Training, and the Bhāsa-Lakṣya Trial

Devanagari script

सुतं ते5ग्रयं प्रदास्पामि सर्वामित्रविनाशनम्‌ | वह ब्राह्मणों

Transliteration

śakra uvāca | sutaṃ te 'gryaṃ pradāsyāmi sarvāmitra-vināśanam |

Translation

شکر نے کہا—میں تمہیں ایک بہترین بیٹا عطا کروں گا جو تمام دشمنوں کو نیست و نابود کرے گا۔ وہ برہمنوں، گایوں اور خیرخواہوں کی محبوب آرزوئیں پوری کرے گا؛ دشمنوں کو غم میں مبتلا کرے گا اور تمام رشتہ داروں کو مسرور کرے گا۔

Word by Word

• सुतम्: son
• सुतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Dative, Singular

• अग्र्यम्: excellent, foremost
• अग्र्यम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अग्र्य
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रदास्यामि: I will give/bestow
• प्रदास्यामि: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + दा
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), 1st, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सर्व: all
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: —, —, —

• अमित्र: enemy
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमित्र
• Form: Masculine, —, —

• विनाशनम्: destroyer; destruction (as an epithet)
• विनाशनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विनाशन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

शक्र उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śakra (Indra)
• son (promised offspring)
• enemies (amitra)
• brāhmaṇas
• cows (gauḥ)
• well-wishers/friends (suhṛd)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames ideal rulership and heroic virtue as protective and beneficent: a worthy son (future leader/hero) should uphold dharma by safeguarding brāhmaṇas and cows, supporting well-wishers, and restraining or defeating hostile forces—bringing welfare to one’s community while checking adharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Indra (Śakra) speaks a boon, promising the recipient an outstanding son characterized by the power to destroy enemies and by a dharmic disposition that fulfills the needs of the righteous and delights kin, while causing sorrow to adversaries.