सुकुमारो युवा शूरो दर्शनीयश् च पाण्डवः ॥
मेधावी निपुणो धीमान् युधि सत्यपराक्रमः ॥
आरावं विपुलं कुर्वन् व्यथयन् सर्वकौरवान् ॥
यदायान् नकुलो धीमान् के शूराः पर्यवारयन् ॥
आशीविष इव क्रुद्धः सहदेवो यदाभ्ययात् ॥
शत्रूणां कदनं कुर्वञ् जेतासौ दुर्जयो युधि ॥
आर्यव्रतम् अमोघेषुं ह्रीमन्तम् अपराजितम् ॥
द्रोणायाभिमुखं यान्तं के शूराः पर्यवारयन् ॥
sukumāro yuvā śūro darśanīyaś ca pāṇḍavaḥ ||
medhāvī nipuṇo dhīmān yudhi satyaparākramaḥ ||
ārāvaṃ vipulaṃ kurvan vyathayan sarvakauravān ||
yadāyān nakulo dhīmān ke śūrāḥ paryavārayan ||
āśīviṣa iva kruddhaḥ sahadevo yadābhyayāt ||
śatrūṇāṃ kadanaṃ kurvañ jetāsau durjayo yudhi ||
āryavratam amogheṣuṃ hrīmantam aparājitam ||
droṇāyābhimukhaṃ yāntaṃ ke śūrāḥ paryavārayan ||
Delicate [in form], young, a hero, comely, the Pandava [Nakula] — intelligent, skilled, discerning, true to his own heroism in battle — uttering a great war cry, throwing the whole host of Kuru into confusion, when the wise Nakula was advancing, what heroes restrained him? When, enraged like a venomous serpent, Sahadeva was advancing, wreaking slaughter among the enemy, that unconquerable vanquisher in battle — true to a noble vow, never missing with his arrows, scrupulous, never defeated, going straight to meet Drona — what heroes restrained him?
70e6dde6d9d4 · published Jul 19, 2026, 2:46:26 PM UTC
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The king speaks of the twins with keen precision: Nakula is 'comely and young,' Sahadeva 'scrupulous and true to a noble vow' — their valor is inseparable from beauty of character and purity. It is telling that with Sahadeva, before his might, 'noble vow' and 'a sense of shame [honor]' are named: a warrior is honored not for ferocity but for the union of strength with virtue. Thus even in a roll call of fearsome fighters the measure of dharma shows through. The verse teaches that the true valor of the young is fused with modesty and honor; that one who never misses in battle should likewise never fall short in honor of character; and that the army of righteousness is fearsome not by strength alone, but by strength crowned with virtue.