Mahabharata · 1.197.5–6
॥
Devanāgarī
इमौ हि वृद्धौ वयसा प्रज्ञया च श्रुतेन च ॥
समौ च त्वयि राजेन्द्र तेषु पाण्डुसुतेषु च ॥
धर्मे चानवमौ राजन् सत्यतायां च भारत ॥
रामाद् दाशरथेश् चैव गयाच् चैव न संशयः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
imau hi vṛddhau vayasā prajñayā ca śrutena ca ||
samau ca tvayi rājendra teṣu pāṇḍusuteṣu ca ||
dharme cānavamau rājan satyatāyāṃ ca bhārata ||
rāmād dāśaratheś caiva gayāc caiva na saṃśayaḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
इमौ हि वृद्धौ वयसा प्रज्ञया च श्रुतेन चimau hi vṛddhau vayasā prajñayā ca śrutena cafor these two are elders in age, in wisdom, and in learning,
समौ च त्वयि राजेन्द्र तेषु पाण्डुसुतेषु चsamau ca tvayi rājendra teṣu pāṇḍusuteṣu caand impartial toward you, O lord of kings, and toward those sons of Pandu;
धर्मे च अनवमौ राजन् सत्यतायां च भारतdharme ca anavamau rājan satyatāyāṃ ca bhārataand in dharma second to none, O king, and in truthfulness, O Bharata,
रामात् दाशरथेः च एव गयात् च एव न संशयःrāmāt dāśaratheḥ ca eva gayāt ca eva na saṃśayaḥthan Rama, son of Dasharatha, and Gaya, without doubt;
चानवमौcānavamauoriginal form "cānavamau", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
रामाद्rāmādoriginal form "rāmād", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
दाशरथेश्dāśaratheśoriginal form "dāśaratheś", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
चैवcaivaoriginal form "caiva", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
गयाच्gayācoriginal form "gayāc", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
चैवcaivaoriginal form "caiva", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Translation
"For these two are elders in age, wisdom, and learning, and impartial toward you and toward those sons of Pandu; and in dharma second to none, O king, and in truthfulness -- not less than Rama, son of Dasharatha, and Gaya, without doubt."
Version
4259666fbf33 · published Jul 12, 2026, 5:54:01 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Here the impartiality and truthfulness of these counselors are praised. The comparison to Rama, son of Dasharatha, is telling: Bhishma and Drona are likened to models of dharma and truth. The word 'impartial' is also telling: they equally wish good for the king and for the Pandavas. Here is seen the truth that only an impartial counselor perceives reality undistorted by bias. Thus the text reveals the worth of these elders; and their judgment deserves trust precisely because of its impartiality.