Shloka 19

देवविमान-दर्शनम् / The Celestial Assembly and Vimana Spectacle

Bhīṣma–Arjuna Encounter Framed Cosmically

Devanagari script

यथा दुर्योधन पार्थो नोपसर्पति संगरे । साहसाद्‌ यदि वा मोहात्‌ तथा नीतिर्विधीयताम्‌

Transliteration

yathā duryodhana pārtho nopasarpati saṅgare | sāhasād yadi vā mohāt tathā nītir vidhīyatām ||

Translation

Droṇa nói: “Hãy bày đặt một kế sách để Pārtha (Arjuna) không thể đến gần Duryodhana trong trận chiến. Dù vì liều lĩnh hay vì mê muội, cũng không được để chàng tấn công Duryodhana; vậy hãy quyết định sách lược cho đúng như thế.”

Word by Word

• यथा: as, in such a way that
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• दुर्योधन: O Duryodhana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्योधन
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• पार्थः: Partha (Arjuna)
• पार्थः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• उपसर्पति: approaches, comes near
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-√सृप्
• Form: Present (Lat), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• संगरे: in battle
• संगरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संगर
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• साहसात्: from rashness; out of recklessness
• साहसात्: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: साहस
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• यदि: if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• मोहात्: from delusion; out of confusion
• मोहात्: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोह
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

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

• नीतिः: policy; strategy; course of action
• नीतिः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नीति
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• विधीयताम्: let (it) be arranged/ordained; should be determined
• Type: Verb
• Root: √धा (वि-√धा)
• Form: Imperative (Lot), Third, Singular, Atmanepada, injunctive/command (let it be done)

Speaker

द्रोण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Droṇa
• Duryodhana
• Pārtha (Arjuna)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Droṇa emphasizes nīti—practical strategy and protective planning in war: leadership must anticipate even impulsive or mistaken actions by a powerful opponent and arrange defenses so that the central figure (Duryodhana) is not exposed.

What is happening in the narrative?

Droṇa advises the Kaurava side to adopt a battle plan that prevents Arjuna from getting close enough to strike Duryodhana, ensuring that no sudden or inadvertent assault can reach him.