Mahabharata
Saṃjaya-yāna (023) (Sañjaya's Embassy to the Pāṇḍavas, Chapters 21–32)5.23.26-27
4132 / 15823
Mahabharata · 5.23.26-27
Devanāgarī

अहं पश्चाद् अर्जुनम् अभ्यरक्षं; माद्रीपुत्रौ भीमसेनश् च चक्रे ॥
गाण्डीवभृच् छत्रुसंघान् उदस्य; स्वस्त्य् आगमत् कच्चिद् एनं स्मरन्ति ॥
न कर्मणा साधुनैकेन नूनं; कर्तुं शक्यं भवतीह संजय ॥
सर्वात्मना परिजेतुं वयं चेन्; न शक्नुमो धृतराष्ट्रस्य पुत्रम् ॥

Transliteration (IAST)

ahaṃ paścād arjunam abhyarakṣaṃ; mādrīputrau bhīmasenaś ca cakre ||
gāṇḍīvabhṛc chatrusaṃghān udasya; svasty āgamat kaccid enaṃ smaranti ||
na karmaṇā sādhunaikena nūnaṃ; kartuṃ śakyaṃ bhavatīha saṃjaya ||
sarvātmanā parijetuṃ vayaṃ cen; na śaknumo dhṛtarāṣṭrasya putram ||

Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
अहंahaṃI; I myself
पश्चाद्paścādafterward; then
अर्जुनम्arjunamArjuna; Partha
अभ्यरक्षंabhyarakṣaṃI protected; I guarded
माद्रीपुत्रौmādrīputrauthe two sons of Madri; Nakula and Sahadeva
भीमसेनश्bhīmasenaśBhimasena; Bhima
caand; also
चक्रेcakredid; accomplished
गाण्डीवभृच्gāṇḍīvabhṛcthe wielder of Gandiva; Arjuna
छत्रुसंघान्chatrusaṃghānhosts of enemies; bands of foes
उदस्यudasyahaving repelled; having driven off
स्वस्त्य्svastysafely; in peace
आगमत्āgamatcame; arrived
कच्चिद्kaccidwhether; is it not so
एनंenaṃhim; this one
स्मरन्तिsmarantiremember; recall
nanot; no
कर्मणाkarmaṇāby an act; by a deed
साधुनैकेनsādhunaikenaby a single good deed; by one virtuous act
नूनंnūnaṃsurely; certainly
कर्तुंkartuṃto accomplish; to bring about
शक्यंśakyaṃpossible; can be done
भवतीहbhavatīhacomes to be here; happens in this world
संजयsaṃjayaO Sanjaya; Sanjaya, the royal envoy
सर्वात्मनाsarvātmanāwith all our being; entirely
परिजेतुंparijetuṃto fully conquer; to overcome
वयंvayaṃwe; we ourselves
चेन्cenif; should
nanot; no
शक्नुमोśaknumowe can; we are able
धृतराष्ट्रस्यdhṛtarāṣṭrasyaDhritarashtra's; king Dhritarashtra's
पुत्रम्putramthe son; his son
Translation

Do they remember the disgrace that befell them when, with evil intent, they came to the forests of Dvaitavana under the pretext of having their cattle carried off? These wicked men, overpowered by their enemies, were afterward set free by Bhimasena and Arjuna — I guarded Arjuna's rear (in the battle that followed), and Bhima guarded the rear of the sons of Madri, while the wielder of Gandiva emerged unharmed from the thick of the fight, having wrought great slaughter upon the hostile army — do they remember this? Not by a single good deed alone, O Sanjaya, can happiness be won in this world, when with all our strength we cannot overcome the son of Dhritarashtra!'

Version

1ea61d4f6f46 · published Jul 17, 2026, 3:43:08 AM UTC

Available inRUEN

Page between verses with