Mahabharata · 7.20.3–4
॥
Devanāgarī
दृष्ट्वा द्रोणं ततः शूरः सत्यजित् सत्यविक्रमः ॥
युधिष्ठिरं परिप्रेप्सुम् आचार्यं समुपाद्रवत् ॥
तत आचार्यपाञ्चाल्यौ युयुधाते परस्परम् ॥
विक्षोभयन्तौ तत् सैन्यम् इन्द्रवैरोचनाव् इव ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
dṛṣṭvā droṇaṃ tataḥ śūraḥ satyajit satyavikramaḥ ||
yudhiṣṭhiraṃ pariprepsum ācāryaṃ samupādravat ||
tata ācāryapāñcālyau yuyudhāte parasparam ||
vikṣobhayantau tat sainyam indravairocanāv iva ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
दृष्ट्वाdṛṣṭvāhaving seen; having spotted
द्रोणम्droṇamDrona; Drona
ततःtataḥthen; thereupon
शूरःśūraḥhero [a brave man]; the warrior
सत्यजित्satyajitSatyajit
सत्यविक्रमःsatyavikramaḥtruly valiant [whose courage is not false]; [a man] of unfeigned valor
युधिष्ठिरम्yudhiṣṭhiram[toward] Yudhishthira; Yudhishthira
परिप्रेप्सुम्pariprepsumeager to seize [bent on capturing]; [him] who was bent on seizing
आचार्यम्ācāryam[at] the teacher [preceptor]; the teacher [Drona]
समुपाद्रवत्samupādravatrushed [charged]; charged [at]
ततःtataḥthen; thereupon
आचार्यपाञ्चाल्यौācāryapāñcālyauthe teacher [Drona] and the Panchala prince [Satyajit]; the teacher and the Panchala prince
युयुधातेyuyudhātefought [clashed]; met in battle
परस्परम्parasparamwith each other; one with the other
विक्षोभयन्तौvikṣobhayantaushaking [throwing into turmoil]; shaking
तत् सैन्यम्tat sainyamthat army; [all] that host
इन्द्रवैरोचनौindravairocanauIndra and the son of Virochana [Bali]; [like] Indra and the son of Virochana [Bali]
इवivaas if [like]; just as
Translation
Then, seeing Drona, the warrior Satyajit, a man of unfeigned valor, charged at the teacher who was bent on seizing Yudhishthira. And then the teacher and the Panchala prince met each other in battle, shaking that entire host — just as Indra and the son of Virochana.
Version
6bb3cf91907b · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:00:04 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Satyajit — "true conqueror," a man of "unfeigned valor" — shields the king with his own body, fulfilling the duty for which he was appointed. His duel with Drona is likened to the battle of Indra with Bali, son of Virochana — a clash of the divine and demonic principles. It is notable that his very name ("Satya," truth) rings like an omen: he stands for the righteous cause and the righteous sovereign. The verse teaches that fidelity to duty calls one to stand even against the mightiest, when he threatens what has been entrusted to one's protection; that shielding one's king before an unconquerable foe is not recklessness but the highest valor; and that a battle in which the small rises against the great in defense of truth is raised to the measure of the struggle between gods and demons.