ततो रङ्गाङ्गणगतो द्रोणो वचनम् अब्रवीत् ॥
निवार्य वादित्रगणं महामेघनिभस्वनम् ॥
यो मे पुत्रात् प्रियतरः सर्वास्त्रविदुषां वरः ॥
ऐन्द्रिर् इन्द्रानुजसमः स पार्थो दृश्यताम् इति ॥
आचार्यवचनेनाथ कृतस्वस्त्ययनो युवा ॥
बद्धगोधाङ्गुलित्राणः पूर्णतूणः सकार्मुकः ॥
काञ्चनं कवचं बिभ्रत् प्रत्यदृश्यत फल्गुनः ॥
सार्कः सेन्द्रायुधतडित् ससंध्य इव तोयदः ॥
tato raṅgāṅgaṇagato droṇo vacanam abravīt ||
nivārya vāditragaṇaṃ mahāmeghanibhasvanam ||
yo me putrāt priyataraḥ sarvāstraviduṣāṃ varaḥ ||
aindrir indrānujasamaḥ sa pārtho dṛśyatām iti ||
ācāryavacanenātha kṛtasvastyayano yuvā ||
baddhagodhāṅgulitrāṇaḥ pūrṇatūṇaḥ sakārmukaḥ ||
kāñcanaṃ kavacaṃ bibhrat pratyadṛśyata phalgunaḥ ||
sārkaḥ sendrāyudhataḍit sasaṃdhya iva toyadaḥ ||
Then Drona, going out to the middle of the arena, having stopped the throng of musical instruments that roared like a great cloud, said: "He who is dearer to me than my son, best of all knowers of weapons, son of Indra, equal to Indra's younger brother (Vishnu) — let this Partha appear." At the teacher's word the youth, over whom the blessing had been performed, with guard and finger-guards fastened, quiver full and bow in hand, wearing golden armor, appeared — Phalguna, like a sunset cloud with the sun, the rainbow, and lightning.
4dfc3af6d2eb · published Jul 12, 2026, 4:53:32 PM UTC
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Here Drona solemnly summons Arjuna, revealing his love for him. Telling are the words "dearer than a son": the teacher loves the devoted disciple more than his own child — for kinship of spirit stands above kinship of flesh. Most telling of all is the likening of Arjuna to "the younger brother of Indra," that is, Vishnu (Upendra): here again the mystery of Arjuna as the incarnation of Nara, inseparable from Narayana, is glimpsed. Here a hint of his divine nature and his coming closeness to Krishna shows itself. Telling too is Arjuna's appearance in golden armor, shining like a sunset cloud with rainbow and lightning: an image of beauty and formidable might at once. Thus the scripture shows the favorite of the teacher and of the people, preparing the moment of his triumph.