Mahabharata 7.56.4 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 56, Shloka 4

Night Vigil and Kṛṣṇa’s Instructions to Dāruka (निशि प्रजागरः—दारुकानुशासनम्)

Devanagari script

धर्मेणाराधयन्‌ देवान्‌ बाणै: शत्रूज्जयंस्तथा । सर्वाण्यपि च भूतानि स्वगुणैरप्यरञज्जयत्‌

Transliteration

dharmēṇārādhayan devān bāṇaiḥ śatrūñ jayaṃs tathā | sarvāṇy api ca bhūtāni svaguṇair apy arañjayat ||

Translation

نارد نے کہا—دھرم کے آچرن سے اس نے دیوتاؤں کی آرادھنا کی، اپنے تیروں سے دشمنوں کو مغلوب کیا، اور اپنی خوبیوں سے تمام جانداروں کو مسرور کیا۔

Word by Word

• धर्मेण: by/through dharma (righteous conduct)
• धर्मेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• आराधयन्: worshipping/propitiating
• आराधयन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-राध्
• Form: Present (participle), Singular, Parasmaipada, Masculine, Nominative

• देवान्: the gods
• देवान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• बाणैः: with arrows
• बाणैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• शत्रून्: enemies
• शत्रून्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत्रु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• जयन्: conquering/defeating
• जयन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: जि
• Form: Present (participle), Singular, Parasmaipada, Masculine, Nominative

• तथा: thus/likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• सर्वाणि: all
• सर्वाणि: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

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

• भूतानि: beings/creatures
• भूतानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• स्वगुणैः: with his own virtues/qualities
• स्वगुणैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वगुण
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• अरञ्जयत्: he delighted/pleased
• अरञ्जयत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: रञ्ज्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• devas (gods)
• śatrus (enemies)
• bāṇas (arrows)
• bhūtas (living beings)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse presents an ideal of righteous leadership: devotion to the divine through dharma, protection of society through disciplined force, and benevolence through personal virtues that bring welfare and contentment to all beings.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada is praising a ruler/heroic figure by describing three complementary achievements—religious duty (worship of the gods through dharma), military success (defeating enemies with arrows), and social harmony (delighting all creatures through virtuous qualities).