एवं ब्रुवति कृष्णे तु धार्तराष्ट्रचमूं प्रति ॥
हाहाकारो महान् आसीन् निःशब्दास् त्व् अपरे ऽभवन् ॥
दृष्ट्वा युधिष्ठिरं दूराद् धार्तराष्ट्रस्य सैनिकाः ॥
मिथः संकथयां चक्रुर् नेशो ऽस्ति कुलपांसनः ॥
व्यक्तं भीत इवाभ्येति राजासौ भीष्मम् अन्तिकात् ॥
युधिष्ठिरः ससोदर्यः शरणार्थं प्रयाचकः ॥
धनंजये कथं नाथे पाण्डवे च वृकोदरे ॥
नकुले सहदेवे च भीतो ऽभ्येति च पाण्डवः ॥
न नूनं क्षत्रियकुले जातः संप्रथिते भुवि ॥
यथास्य हृदयं भीतम् अल्पसत्त्वस्य संयुगे ॥
ततस् ते क्षत्रियाः सर्वे प्रशंसन्ति स्म कौरवान् ॥
हृष्टाः सुमनसो भूत्वा चैलानि दुधुवुः पृथक् ॥
व्यनिन्दन्त ततः सर्वे योधास् तत्र विशां पते ॥
युधिष्ठिरं ससोदर्यं सहितं केशवेन ह ॥
ततस् तत् कौरवं सैन्यं धिक्कृत्वा तु युधिष्ठिरम् ॥
निःशब्दम् अभवत् तूर्णं पुनर् एव विशां पते ॥
किं नु वक्ष्यति राजासौ किं भीष्मः प्रतिवक्ष्यति ॥
किं भीमः समरश्लाघी किं नु कृष्णार्जुनाव् इति ॥
विवक्षितं किम् अस्येति संशयः सुमहान् अभूत् ॥
उभयोः सेनयो राजन् युधिष्ठिरकृते तदा ॥
evaṃ bruvati kṛṣṇe tu dhārtarāṣṭracamūṃ prati ||
hāhākāro mahān āsīn niḥśabdās tv apare 'bhavan ||
dṛṣṭvā yudhiṣṭhiraṃ dūrād dhārtarāṣṭrasya sainikāḥ ||
mithaḥ saṃkathayāṃ cakrur neśo 'sti kulapāṃsanaḥ ||
vyaktaṃ bhīta ivābhyeti rājāsau bhīṣmam antikāt ||
yudhiṣṭhiraḥ sasodaryaḥ śaraṇārthaṃ prayācakaḥ ||
dhanaṃjaye kathaṃ nāthe pāṇḍave ca vṛkodare ||
nakule sahadeve ca bhīto 'bhyeti ca pāṇḍavaḥ ||
na nūnaṃ kṣatriyakule jātaḥ saṃprathite bhuvi ||
yathāsya hṛdayaṃ bhītam alpasattvasya saṃyuge ||
tatas te kṣatriyāḥ sarve praśaṃsanti sma kauravān ||
hṛṣṭāḥ sumanaso bhūtvā cailāni dudhuvuḥ pṛthak ||
vyanindanta tataḥ sarve yodhās tatra viśāṃ pate ||
yudhiṣṭhiraṃ sasodaryaṃ sahitaṃ keśavena ha ||
tatas tat kauravaṃ sainyaṃ dhikkṛtvā tu yudhiṣṭhiram ||
niḥśabdam abhavat tūrṇaṃ punar eva viśāṃ pate ||
kiṃ nu vakṣyati rājāsau kiṃ bhīṣmaḥ prativakṣyati ||
kiṃ bhīmaḥ samaraślāghī kiṃ nu kṛṣṇārjunāv iti ||
vivakṣitaṃ kim asyeti saṃśayaḥ sumahān abhūt ||
ubhayoḥ senayo rājan yudhiṣṭhirakṛte tadā ||
When Krishna was speaking thus before the army of Dhritarashtra, a great cry of dismay arose, while others, by contrast, fell silent. Seeing Yudhishthira from afar, the soldiers of Dhritarashtra began to talk among themselves: "This disgrace of his family has no courage. It seems he comes in fear to Bhishma with his brothers, begging for refuge. How can a Pandava be afraid when his protectors are Dhananjaya, Vrikodara, Nakula, and Sahadeva? Surely he was not born into a renowned kshatriya lineage, if his heart is so timid in battle." Then all the kshatriyas, rejoicing, began to praise the Kauravas and wave their garments. The warriors reviled Yudhishthira along with his brothers and Keshava. But soon, having condemned him, the Kaurava army fell silent again: all wondered what the king would say, what Bhishma would answer, what Bhima, Krishna, and Arjuna would say. Because of Yudhishthira's act, a great bewilderment arose in both armies.
dab2c9c0dd6c · published Jul 17, 2026, 9:12:34 PM UTC
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Those who see only through fear and pride mistake humility for weakness. But the silence that follows the mockery reveals that, deep down, even the enemies sense that Yudhishthira's act carries a different weight.