Shloka 44

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

Devanagari script

अथोयद्यानवरे तस्मिंस्तथा क्रीडागताश्न ते । परस्परस्य वक्त्रेभ्यो ददुर्भक्ष्यांस्ततस्तत:

Transliteration

atho yadyānavare tasmiṁs tathā krīḍāgatāś ca te | parasparasya vaktrebhyo dadur bhakṣyāṁs tatas tataḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana nói: Rồi trong khu vườn xinh đẹp ấy, khi các Kaurava và Pāṇḍava đến để vui chơi, họ đùa giỡn thân tình, đút từng miếng ăn vào miệng nhau. Nhưng ngay trong khung cảnh ấy (khi câu chuyện tiếp diễn), Duryodhana tội lỗi, vì lòng muốn giết Bhīmasena, đã cho trộn thứ độc dược chết người mang tên Kālakūṭa vào phần ăn của chàng—cho thấy đố kỵ và adharma có thể ẩn mình dưới dáng vẻ bằng hữu.

Word by Word

• अथ: then/now
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• उद्यानवरे: in the excellent garden
• उद्यानवरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: उद्यान-वर
• Form: neuter, locative, singular

• तस्मिन्: in that
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: neuter, locative, singular

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

• क्रीडागताः: come for play
• क्रीडागताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रीडा-गत
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

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

• अश्नन्ते: they eat
• Type: Verb
• Root: अश्
• Form: present, 3rd, plural, ātmanepada

• परस्परस्य: of one another
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: परस्पर
• Form: masculine/neuter, genitive, singular

• वक्त्रेभ्यः: from (their) mouths
• वक्त्रेभ्यः: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वक्त्र
• Form: neuter, ablative, plural

• ददुः: they gave/put
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा
• Form: perfect, 3rd, plural, parasmaipada

• भक्ष्यान्: edibles/food-bits
• भक्ष्यान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ष्य
• Form: masculine, accusative, plural

• ततः: then/thereupon
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• ततः: again/at times
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Kauravas
• Pāṇḍavas
• garden (udyāna)
• food/morsels (bhakṣya)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in moments that appear playful and affectionate, inner motives matter: envy and adharma can operate under a mask of friendliness. The episode warns that ethical vigilance is needed when rivalry and resentment are present.

What is happening in the narrative?

In a beautiful garden, the Kauravas and Pāṇḍavas engage in playful feeding as part of their sport. The broader narrative context (as continued in the passage) contrasts this outward camaraderie with Duryodhana’s hidden intent to harm Bhīma by poisoning his food with Kālakūṭa.