Shloka 11

Vasiṣṭhasya śokaḥ, Vipāśā–Śatadrū-nāmākaraṇam, Kalmāṣapādasya bhaya-prasaṅgaḥ (Ādi Parva 167)

Devanagari script

अर्चयित्वा यथान्यायमुपयाजमुवाच स: । येन मे कर्मणा ब्रह्मन्‌ पुत्र: स्याद्‌ द्रोणमृत्यवे

Transliteration

arcayitvā yathānyāyam upayājam uvāca saḥ | yena me karmaṇā brahman putraḥ syād droṇamṛtyave ||

Translation

依礼供奉优波耶阇之后，国王说道：“婆罗门啊，我当以何种法事、何种圣业，方能得一子，使其成为德罗那之死？”

Word by Word

• अर्चयित्वा: having worshipped
• अर्चयित्वा: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), कर्तरि

• यथा: as, according to
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• न्यायम्: proper rule/rite, due procedure
• न्यायम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: न्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• उपयाजम्: Upayāja (name of the sage)
• उपयाजम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपयाज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• येन: by which
• येन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• मे: of me, my
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• कर्मणा: by (what) act/rite
• कर्मणा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• ब्रह्मन्: O Brahmin!
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• पुत्रः: a son
• पुत्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• स्यात्: may be / might be obtained
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• द्रोण: of Droṇa
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रोण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (in compound relation), Singular

• मृत्यवे: for (the) death
• मृत्यवे: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

Speaker

ब्राह्मण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Upayāja
• Droṇa
• Drupada (implied by context as the speaker 'saḥ')
• Brahmin (addressed class/role)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights an ethical tension: ritual power (karma) can be sought for aims that are morally ambiguous. Proper worship and procedure are observed, yet the intention is retaliatory—showing that dharmic forms do not automatically guarantee dharmic ends.

What is happening in the narrative?

After honoring the priest Upayāja, Drupada asks for a specific rite that will grant him a son destined to kill Droṇa. This sets the stage for the later emergence of a warrior-son born for a targeted purpose within the unfolding conflict.