Mahabharata · 2.16.3–4
॥
Devanāgarī
एतावद् एव पुरुषैः कार्यं हृदयतोषणम् ॥
नयेन विधिदृष्टेन यद् उपक्रमते परान् ॥
सुनयस्यानपायस्य संयुगे परमः क्रमः ॥
संशयो जायते साम्ये साम्यं च न भवेद् द्वयोः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
etāvad eva puruṣaiḥ kāryaṃ hṛdayatoṣaṇam ||
nayena vidhidṛṣṭena yad upakramate parān ||
sunayasyānapāyasya saṃyuge paramaḥ kramaḥ ||
saṃśayo jāyate sāmye sāmyaṃ ca na bhaved dvayoḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
एतावत् एव पुरुषैः कार्यम्etāvat eva puruṣaiḥ kāryamonly that should men do,
हृदय-तोषणम्hṛdaya-toṣaṇamwhat is pleasing to the heart:
नयेन विधि-दृष्टेनnayena vidhi-dṛṣṭenaby policy set forth in the scriptures [shastras],
यत् उपक्रमते परान्yat upakramate parān[that] by which one attacks enemies;
सु-नयस्य अनपायस्यsu-nayasya anapāyasyafor one whose policy is sound and without flaw
संयुगे परमः क्रमःsaṃyuge paramaḥ kramaḥin battle — the highest success;
संशयः जायते साम्येsaṃśayaḥ jāyate sāmyedoubt arises when there is equality,
साम्यम् च न भवेत् द्वयोःsāmyam ca na bhavet dvayoḥbut there will be no equality between the two [us and them];
एतावद्etāvadoriginal form “etāvad”, added to complete the word-by-word coverage
कार्यंkāryaṃoriginal form “kāryaṃ”, added to complete the word-by-word coverage
हृदयतोषणम्hṛdayatoṣaṇamoriginal form “hṛdayatoṣaṇam”, added to complete the word-by-word coverage
विधिदृष्टेनvidhidṛṣṭenaoriginal form “vidhidṛṣṭena”, added to complete the word-by-word coverage
यद्yadoriginal form “yad”, added to complete the word-by-word coverage
सुनयस्यानपायस्यsunayasyānapāyasyaoriginal form “sunayasyānapāyasya”, added to complete the word-by-word coverage
संशयोsaṃśayooriginal form “saṃśayo”, added to complete the word-by-word coverage
साम्यंsāmyaṃoriginal form “sāmyaṃ”, added to complete the word-by-word coverage
भवेद्bhavedoriginal form “bhaved”, added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Translation
‘Only that should men do which is pleasing to the heart: to attack enemies by policy set forth in the scriptures. For one whose policy is sound and without flaw, in battle lies the highest success; doubt arises [only] when there is equality [of strength], but there will be no equality between us and them.’
Version
2a011bba6d27 · published Jul 16, 2026, 3:13:23 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Here victory is held to rest above all on right strategy, not on strength alone. It is telling that Krishna, though almighty, still acts ‘according to the precepts’ of policy: the Lord, descending as a man, honors the established order and teaches a reasoned course of action. Thus the scripture shows prudence to be part of valor; and next comes the approach to the enemy.