Mahabharata · 5.4.26-27
॥
Devanāgarī
अयं च ब्राह्मणः शीघ्रं मम राजन् पुरोहितः ॥
प्रेष्यतां धृतराष्ट्राय वाक्यम् अस्मिन् समर्प्यताम् ॥
यथा दुर्योधनो वाच्यो यथा शांतनवो नृपः ॥
धृतराष्ट्रो यथा वाच्यो द्रोणश् च विदुषां वरः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
ayaṃ ca brāhmaṇaḥ śīghraṃ mama rājan purohitaḥ ||
preṣyatāṃ dhṛtarāṣṭrāya vākyam asmin samarpyatām ||
yathā duryodhano vācyo yathā śāṃtanavo nṛpaḥ ||
dhṛtarāṣṭro yathā vācyo droṇaś ca viduṣāṃ varaḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
अयंayaṃthis; he
चcaand; also
ब्राह्मणःbrāhmaṇaḥbrahmin; priest
शीघ्रंśīghraṃquickly; at once
ममmamamy; mine
राजन्rājanO king; sovereign
पुरोहितःpurohitaḥhousehold priest; purohita
प्रेष्यतांpreṣyatāṃlet be sent; let be dispatched
धृतराष्ट्रायdhṛtarāṣṭrāyato Dhritarashtra; Dhritarashtra
वाक्यम्vākyamword; speech
अस्मिन्asminin this; to him
समर्प्यताम्samarpyatāmlet be entrusted; let be conveyed
यथाyathāas; how
दुर्योधनोduryodhanoDuryodhana; warrior Duryodhana
वाच्योvācyoshould be addressed; is to be spoken to
यथाyathāas; how
शांतनवोśāṃtanavoson of Shantanu; Bhishma
नृपःnṛpaḥlord; sovereign
धृतराष्ट्रोdhṛtarāṣṭroDhritarashtra; King Dhritarashtra
यथाyathāas; how
वाच्योvācyoshould be addressed; is to be spoken to
द्रोणश्droṇaśDrona; teacher Drona
चcaand; also
विदुषांviduṣāṃof the learned; of the wise
वरःvaraḥbest; foremost
Translation
"Send them word quickly. This is what I recommend. And let this priest of mine, a learned brahmin, be sent, O king, to Dhritarashtra. Tell him what words he should speak, and what should be said to Duryodhana; and how Bhishma should be addressed, and how Drona, best of chariot warriors!"
Version
6db561444904 · published Jul 17, 2026, 3:22:50 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
This passage (5.4.26-27) develops the central theme of the Udyoga-parva: the effort toward peace is already underway against the backdrop of an inevitable war. Key themes: Duryodhana, Dhritarashtra. Dharma here is revealed through speech, the choice of envoys, faithfulness to one's word, and the responsibility of kings for the consequences of their decisions.