Mahabharata · 1.201.4–5
॥
Devanāgarī
अन्योन्यस्य प्रियकराव् अन्योन्यस्य प्रियंवदौ ॥
एकशीलसमाचारौ द्विधैवैकं यथा कृतौ ॥
तौ विवृद्धौ महावीर्यौ कार्येष्व् अप्य् एकनिश्चयौ ॥
त्रैलोक्यविजयार्थाय समास्थायैकनिश्चयम् ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
anyonyasya priyakarāv anyonyasya priyaṃvadau ||
ekaśīlasamācārau dvidhaivaikaṃ yathā kṛtau ||
tau vivṛddhau mahāvīryau kāryeṣv apy ekaniścayau ||
trailokyavijayārthāya samāsthāyaikaniścayam ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
अन्योन्यस्य प्रियकरौ अन्योन्यस्य प्रियंवदौanyonyasya priyakarau anyonyasya priyaṃvadaudoing what pleased each other, speaking sweetly to one another,
एकशीलसमाचारौ द्विधा एव एकं यथा कृतौekaśīlasamācārau dvidhā eva ekaṃ yathā kṛtauof one nature and conduct, as if a single being split in two;
तौ विवृद्धौ महावीर्यौ कार्येषु अपि एकनिश्चयौtau vivṛddhau mahāvīryau kāryeṣu api ekaniścayauthose two, grown up, greatly valorous, and of one mind in their affairs,
त्रैलोक्यविजयार्थाय समास्थाय एकनिश्चयम्trailokyavijayārthāya samāsthāya ekaniścayamresolved as one, for the conquest of the three worlds,
प्रियकराव्priyakarāvoriginal form "priyakarāv", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
द्विधैवैकंdvidhaivaikaṃoriginal form "dvidhaivaikaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
कार्येष्व्kāryeṣvoriginal form "kāryeṣv", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
अप्य्apyoriginal form "apy", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
समास्थायैकनिश्चयम्samāsthāyaikaniścayamoriginal form "samāsthāyaikaniścayam", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Translation
"Doing what pleased each other, speaking sweetly to one another, of one nature and conduct, as if a single being split in two; those two, grown up, greatly valorous, and of one mind in their affairs, resolved as one upon the conquest of the three worlds."
Version
5933d9e30d35 · published Jul 12, 2026, 6:01:16 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Here the brothers' unity reaches its limit -- "a single being split in two." This phrase is telling: they were like one soul in two bodies. But the goal is telling as well -- the conquest of the worlds: oneness of mind directed toward greedy lust for power carries within it the seed of ruin. Here it is revealed that even a perfect union, turned toward evil, will not save one from destruction. Thus the scripture shows the greatness of their bond and the wrongness of their aim.