Shloka 38

Droṇa’s Ācārya-Dakṣiṇā: Capture of Drupada and Division of Pāñcāla (द्रोण-आचार्यदक्षिणा)

Devanagari script

निर्ययुर्नगराच्छूरा: कौरवा: पाण्डवै: सह | उद्यानवनमासाद्य विसृज्य च महाजनम्‌

Transliteration

niryayur nagarāc chūrāḥ kauravāḥ pāṇḍavaiḥ saha | udyānavanam āsādya visṛjya ca mahājanam ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana nói: Những dũng sĩ Kaurava cùng với các Pāṇḍava rời khỏi thành. Đến khu vườn vui chơi và rừng cây, họ cho các bô lão và những người đứng đầu dân chúng đã theo cùng được lui về. Rồi các anh em bước vào vườn, ngắm nhìn vẻ đẹp của nó—như sư tử đi vào hang núi.

Word by Word

• निर्ययुः: went out, departed
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर्-या (धातु: या)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/परफेक्ट), 3, plural, परस्मैपदम्

• नगरात्: from the city
• नगरात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नगर
• Form: neuter, ablative, singular

• शूराः: brave (men)
• शूराः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शूर
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• कौरवाः: the Kauravas
• कौरवाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौरव
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• पाण्डवैः: with the Pandavas
• पाण्डवैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: masculine, instrumental, plural

• सह: together with
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह

• उद्यानवनम्: the garden and forest (park-wood)
• उद्यानवनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: उद्यान + वन
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• आसाद्य: having reached/approached
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√सद्
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund)

• विसृज्य: having dismissed/sent away
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-√सृज्
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund)

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

• महाजनम्: the great crowd/people (retinue)
• महाजनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाजन
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Kauravas
• Pāṇḍavas
• nagara (city)
• udyāna-vana (garden/forest park)
• mahājana (leading citizens/elders)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical contrast between public decorum and private intention: leaders may display unity and propriety before the community (mahājana), yet decisive actions often occur away from public scrutiny. It invites vigilance about dharma—true righteousness is consistent in both public and private spheres.

What is happening in the narrative?

The Kauravas and Pāṇḍavas leave the city together and reach a garden-forest. After arriving, they dismiss the prominent citizens who had come along, and then the brothers enter the grove to view its beauty—setting the stage for events that will unfold away from the public eye.