Mahabharata · 7.19.9–10
॥
Devanāgarī
भूरिश्रवाः शलः शल्यः सोमदत्तश् च बाह्लिकः ॥
अक्षौहिण्या वृता वीरा दक्षिणं पक्षम् आश्रिताः ॥
विन्दानुविन्दाव् आवन्त्यौ काम्बोजश् च सुदक्षिणः ॥
वामं पक्षं समाश्रित्य द्रोणपुत्राग्रगाः स्थिताः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
bhūriśravāḥ śalaḥ śalyaḥ somadattaś ca bāhlikaḥ ||
akṣauhiṇyā vṛtā vīrā dakṣiṇaṃ pakṣam āśritāḥ ||
vindānuvindāv āvantyau kāmbojaś ca sudakṣiṇaḥ ||
vāmaṃ pakṣaṃ samāśritya droṇaputrāgragāḥ sthitāḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
भूरिश्रवाःbhūriśravāḥBhurishravas
शलःśalaḥShala
शल्यःśalyaḥShalya
सोमदत्तःsomadattaḥSomadatta
चcaand; also
बाह्लिकःbāhlikaḥBahlika; Bahlika
अक्षौहिण्याakṣauhiṇyāwith an akshauhini [whole army]; with a [whole] akshauhini
वृताःvṛtāḥsurrounded [attended]; attended
वीराःvīrāḥheroes [warriors]; [these] warriors
दक्षिणम् पक्षम्dakṣiṇam pakṣamthe right wing; the right wing
आश्रिताःāśritāḥhaving taken [resting on]; having taken
विन्दानुविन्दौvindānuvindauVinda and Anuvinda; Vinda with Anuvinda
आवन्त्यौāvantyauof Avanti [from Avanti]; [both] from Avanti
काम्बोजःkāmbojaḥthe Kamboja; the Kamboja
चcaand; also
सुदक्षिणःsudakṣiṇaḥSudakshina; Sudakshina
वामम् पक्षम्vāmam pakṣamthe left wing; the left wing
समाश्रित्यsamāśrityahaving taken; having taken
द्रोणपुत्राग्रगाःdroṇaputrāgragāḥled by the son of Drona [under Ashvatthaman]; [led] by the son of Drona [Ashvatthaman] at the fore
स्थिताःsthitāḥstood [took their place]; took their place
Translation
Bhurishravas, Shala, Shalya, Somadatta, and Bahlika — these warriors, attended by a whole akshauhini, took the right wing. And Vinda with Anuvinda, both from Avanti, and the Kamboja Sudakshina, taking the left wing, took their place led by the son of Drona at the fore.
Version
11a867ba1e10 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:00:04 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Both wings of the array are entrusted to renowned men — Bhurishravas and Shalya on the right, Ashvatthaman on the left; the host of the unjust cause is not poor in valor and experience. It is telling that many of these warriors inclined inwardly toward the truth of the Pandavas, and yet stand here, bound by duty to a throne whose bread they had tasted. Here appears the bitterness of obligation: the noble man, having given his word or accepted patronage, fights even for a cause he does not approve. The verse teaches that fidelity to a given word can lead the worthy under an unjust banner; that duty to a person and duty to truth sometimes diverge, tearing the heart apart; and that in this discord lies one of the bitterest riddles of dharma, one that nearly every hero of this war must face.