Shloka 52

Ulūka’s Provocation and Keśava’s Counter-Message (उलूकदूत्ये केशवप्रत्युत्तरम्)

Devanagari script

द्रोणादस्त्राणि संप्राप्प कृपाच्च भरतर्षभ । तुल्ययोनौ समबले वासुदेव॑ समाश्रित:,'भरतश्रेष्ठ! द्रोणाचार्य और कृपाचार्यसे अस्त्र-विद्या प्राप्त करके जाति और बलमें हमारे समान होते हुए भी तुमने वसुदेवनन्दन श्रीकृष्णका आश्रय ले रखा है (फिर तुम्हें युद्धसे क्यों डरना या पीछे हटना चाहिये?)'

Transliteration

droṇād astrāṇi saṃprāpya kṛpāc ca bharatarṣabha | tulyayonau samabale vāsudevaṃ samāśritaḥ ||

Translation

سنجے نے کہا—اے بھرت شریشٹھ! درون اور کرپ سے اسلحہ و فنِ جنگ سیکھ کر، نسب اور قوت میں ہمارے برابر ہوتے ہوئے بھی تم نے واسودیو (شری کرشن) کی پناہ لے رکھی ہے؛ پھر جنگ سے ڈرنا یا پیچھے ہٹنے کا خیال کیوں؟

Word by Word

द्रोणात्from Droṇa

अस्त्राणिweapons (missile-weapons), weapon-lore

सम्प्राप्यhaving obtained

कृपात्from Kṛpa

चand

भरतर्षभO bull among the Bharatas

तुल्ययोनौin (being) of equal birth/origin (both of you)

समबलेin (being) of equal strength (both of you)

वासुदेवम्Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa)

समाश्रितःhaving taken refuge in / having resorted to

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sanjaya

Droṇa (Droṇācārya)

Kṛpa (Kṛpācārya)

Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa)

Bharatas (Kuru lineage)

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?

Competence gained through disciplined training (from Droṇa and Kṛpa) should be joined with right reliance: taking refuge in Kṛṣṇa (Vāsudeva) removes hesitation and supports steadfastness in one’s dharma, especially the kṣatriya obligation to face a just war without fear.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya addresses a Bharata hero (contextually, Arjuna) and reminds him that he has mastered weapons under renowned teachers and is equal in birth and strength to his opponents; moreover, he has Kṛṣṇa’s support. Therefore, Sanjaya urges him not to shrink from the coming battle.