Shloka 156

Devanagari script

रजसा ध्वस्तमासीन ददर्श द्रौणिमन्तिके । वहाँ जाकर उन्होंने गंगाजीके जलके किनारे परम यशस्वी महात्मा श्रीकृष्ण द्वैपायन व्यासको अनेकों महर्षियोंके साथ बैठे देखा। उनके पास ही वह क्रूरकर्मा द्रोणपुत्र भी बैठा दिखायी दिया। उसने अपने शरीरमें घी लगाकर कुशका चीर पहन रखा था। उसके सारे अंगोंपर धूल छा रही थी

Transliteration

rajasā dhvastam āsīnaṃ dadarśa drauṇim antike |

Translation

毗湿摩耶那说道：他看见德罗那之子（阿湿婆他摩）就坐在近旁，尘土覆身，使其形貌黯然。更大的场景中，叙事将他置于至负盛名的圣贤黑天·岛生·毗耶娑身侧：毗耶娑与众多大牟尼同坐恒河之滨——凸显出鲜明的伦理对照：一边是苦行而持真的权威，一边却是因残酷行径与战争的道德余殃而蒙垢之人。

Word by Word

रजसाby dust

ध्वस्तम्covered/soiled (lit. destroyed/overwhelmed)

आसीनम्sitting

ददर्शsaw

द्रौणिम्Drauni (son of Droṇa, i.e., Aśvatthāman)

अन्तिकेnear/at the vicinity

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Drauṇi (Aśvatthāman)

Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana Vyāsa

Gaṅgā (river)

Mahārṣis (great seers)

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 underscores moral consequence: the dust-covered, diminished state of Drauṇi (Aśvatthāman) functions as a narrative sign of inner turmoil and ethical stain after violent, cruel action, set against the purifying presence of Vyāsa and the ṛṣis—figures of dharma and truth.

What is happening in the narrative?

The narrator reports that Aśvatthāman is seen sitting nearby, covered with dust. The surrounding context places him close to Vyāsa seated by the Gaṅgā with many sages, framing a tense encounter between a war-criminal figure and the highest spiritual authorities.