Shloka 28

Brahmaśirastra-pratisaṃhāra — Retraction and redirection of the supreme weapon

Sauptika Parva, Adhyāya 15

Devanagari script

द्रौणिस्वाच पाण्डवैर्यानि रत्नानि यच्चान्यत्‌ कौरवैर्धनम्‌ | अवाप्तमिह तेभ्यो5यं मणिर्मम विशिष्यते

Transliteration

drauṇir uvāca pāṇḍavair yāni ratnāni yac cānyat kauravair dhanam | avāptam iha tebhyo ’yaṁ maṇir mama viśiṣyate ||

Translation

Aśvatthāmā nói: “Dẫu là những châu báu mà các Pāṇḍava đã thu được, hay mọi của cải khác mà phe Kaurava đã giành được nơi đây—viên ngọc của ta vẫn vượt hơn tất cả về giá trị.”

Word by Word

• द्रौणिः: Drauni (Aśvatthāman)
• द्रौणिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रौणि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular

• पाण्डवैः: by the Pāṇḍavas
• पाण्डवैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• यानि: which
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• रत्नानि: gems, jewels
• रत्नानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रत्न
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• यत्: and whatever
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

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

• अन्यत्: other (wealth)
• अन्यत्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• कौरवैः: by the Kauravas
• कौरवैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौरव
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• धनम्: wealth
• धनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• अवाप्तम्: obtained
• Type: Verb
• Root: अवाप्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह

• तेभ्यः: from them / than them
• तेभ्यः: Apadana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Ablative, Plural

• अयम्: this
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मणिः: jewel
• मणिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मणि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मम: my
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• विशिष्यते: is superior, excels
• Type: Verb
• Root: विशिष्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Ātmanepada

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Aśvatthāmā (Drauṇi)
• Pāṇḍavas
• Kauravas
• maṇi (Aśvatthāmā’s gem)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how, in a morally shattered moment, a person may cling to an object as ‘supreme wealth.’ It invites reflection on right valuation: true worth is not merely material or prestigious, and attachment fueled by pride can obscure dharmic discernment.

What is happening in the narrative?

Aśvatthāmā speaks about his maṇi, claiming it exceeds all jewels and wealth acquired by both Pāṇḍavas and Kauravas. The statement occurs within the tense aftermath of the night-raid events of the Sauptika Parva, where he asserts the exceptional value of his gem.