Shloka 21

त॑ं दृष्टवा नित्यमुद्युक्तमिष्वस्त्रं प्रति फाल्गुनम्‌ । आहूय वचन द्रोणो रह: सूदमभाषत,अर्जुनको धनुष-बाणके अभ्यासमें निरन्तर लगा हुआ देख द्रोणाचार्यने रसोइयेको एकान्तमें बुलाकर कहा--“तुम अर्जुनको कभी अँधेरेमें भोजन न परोसना और मेरी यह बात भी अर्जुनसे कभी न कहना”

taṁ dṛṣṭvā nityam udyuktam iṣv-astraṁ prati phālgunam | āhūya vacanaṁ droṇo rahaḥ sūdam abhāṣata ||

وَیشَمپایَن نے کہا—فالگُن (ارجن) کو تیر و کمان کی مشق میں ہمیشہ سرگرم دیکھ کر درون نے باورچی کو خلوت میں بلا کر کہا—“ارجن کو کبھی اندھیرے میں کھانا نہ پیش کرنا؛ اور یہ بھی کہ یہ میرا حکم ہے—یہ بات بھی اسے کبھی نہ بتانا۔”

तम्him
तम्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
दृष्ट्वाhaving seen
दृष्ट्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootदृश्
Formक्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral)
नित्यम्always/constantly
नित्यम्:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootनित्य
उद्युक्तम्engaged, intent
उद्युक्तम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootउद्युक्त
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
इष्वस्त्रम्missile-weapon (archery/weaponry)
इष्वस्त्रम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootइष्वस्त्र
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
प्रतिtowards, with regard to
प्रति:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootप्रति
फाल्गुनम्Phalguna (Arjuna)
फाल्गुनम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootफाल्गुन
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
आहूयhaving called/summoned
आहूय:
TypeVerb
Rootआह्वा
Formक्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), आ
वचनम्words, speech
वचनम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootवचन
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
द्रोणःDrona
द्रोणः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootद्रोण
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
रहःin private, secretly
रहः:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootरहस्
सूदम्cook
सूदम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootसूद
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
अभाषतspoke
अभाषत:
TypeVerb
Rootभाष्
Formलङ् (Imperfect), Parasmaipada, Third, Singular

वैशम्पायन उवाच

V
Vaiśampāyana
D
Droṇa (Droṇācārya)
P
Phālguna (Arjuna)
S
Sūda (the cook)
B
bow (dhanus, implied)
A
arrows (iṣu)

Educational Q&A

Focused mastery is cultivated not only by effort but by carefully designed conditions; however, the verse also invites reflection on the ethics of secrecy and favoritism in a teacher’s methods.

Droṇa observes Arjuna’s constant weapons-practice and privately orders the cook to never serve him food in darkness and to keep this instruction hidden from Arjuna.