Shloka 39

धृतराष्ट्रस्य मूर्च्छा तथा द्रोणविषयकप्रश्नाः

Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Fainting and Questions Concerning Droṇa

Devanagari script

केडरक्षन्‌ दक्षिणं चक्रं सव्यं के च महात्मन:

Transliteration

dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca | ke ’rakṣan dakṣiṇaṃ cakraṃ savyaṃ ke ca mahātmanaḥ | ke vīrāḥ purato droṇasya yuddhe yuddhaparāyaṇāḥ | ke ca tyaktvā śarīrasnehaṃ pratyapadyanta vai ripūn | raṇe mṛtyuṃ ca ye prāpuḥ ||

Translation

持国王说道：“噢，高贵之人！那阵形的右轮由谁守护，左轮又由谁守护？在那战场上，哪些英雄立于常怀战意的德罗那之前？又有哪些人舍弃对身躯的执著，迎面对阵敌方勇士，在那战地选择了死亡？”

Word by Word

• के: which (persons)? who (pl.)?
• के: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• अरक्षन्: protected/guarded
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष्
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• दक्षिणम्: right (side)
• दक्षिणम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिण
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• चक्रम्: wheel; (battle-)formation wheel
• चक्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सव्यम्: left (side)
• सव्यम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सव्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• के: which (persons)? who (pl.)?
• के: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

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

• महात्मनः: of the great-souled (one)
• महात्मनः: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

Speaker

धृतराष्ट उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Droṇa (Droṇācārya)
• cakra (battle formation ‘wheel’)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the kṣatriya ideal of steadfastness in battle: guarding strategic positions, standing at the forefront under a commander, and meeting death without bodily attachment. Ethically, it frames warfare as a field where duty, courage, and renunciation of fear are tested—while also underscoring the tragic cost of conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛtarāṣṭra asks Sañjaya for a detailed report of Droṇa’s battle-array: who protected the right and left ‘wheels’ (flanks/sections), who fought at the very front under Droṇa’s command, and which warriors, disregarding self-preservation, confronted the enemy and fell in the fighting.