Shloka 26

Devanagari script

सेयं नीत्यर्थविज्ञेषु भीष्मद्रोणकृपादिषु । स्थितेषु कुलनाथेषु कथमापदुपागता,नीतिके अर्थको जाननेवाले परम विद्वान्‌ भीष्म, द्रोण और कृपाचार्य आदिके, जो इस कुलके रक्षक हैं, उनके रहते हुए यह विपत्ति हमपर क्यों आयी?

Transliteration

vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca | seyaṃ nītyarthavijñeṣu bhīṣmadroṇakṛpādiṣu | sthiteṣu kulanātheṣu katham āpad upāgatā ||

Translation

毗舍波耶那说道：“当毗湿摩、德罗那、克利波等人——在治国之道与人生诸旨趣上最为通达的贤者——仍在此作为我族的守护者与宗主之时，这场灾厄怎会降临到我们身上？”

Word by Word

साshe/that (this)

इयम्this

नीति-अर्थ-विज्ञेषुamong those who know the meaning of policy/statecraft

भीष्म-द्रोण-कृप-आदिषुamong Bhishma, Drona, Kripa and others

स्थितेषुbeing present/standing

कुल-नाथेषुamong the lords/protectors of the family

कथम्how/why

आपत्calamity/misfortune

उपागताhas come/has befallen

Speaker

वैशमग्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśaṃpāyana

Bhīṣma

Droṇa

Kṛpa (Kṛpācārya)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical shock of societal collapse: even when renowned elders skilled in nīti (right policy) and artha (practical welfare) are present as guardians, calamity can still arise—implying that mere presence of authority is insufficient without effective, dharmic action.

What is happening in the narrative?

The speaker voices astonishment and grief that a grave misfortune has befallen the Kuru household despite the presence of eminent elders—Bhīṣma, Droṇa, and Kṛpa—who are expected to protect the lineage and guide it through crises.