Mahabharata · 7.30.3–4
॥
Devanāgarī
संजय उवाच
तथापि तव पुत्रस्य प्रियकामा विशां पते ॥
यशः प्रवीरा लोकेषु रक्षन्तो द्रोणम् अन्वयुः ॥
समुद्यतेषु शस्त्रेषु संप्राप्ते च युधिष्ठिरे ॥
अकुर्वन्न् आर्यकर्माणि भैरवे सत्यभीतवत् ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
saṃjaya uvāca
tathāpi tava putrasya priyakāmā viśāṃ pate ||
yaśaḥ pravīrā lokeṣu rakṣanto droṇam anvayuḥ ||
samudyateṣu śastreṣu saṃprāpte ca yudhiṣṭhire ||
akurvann āryakarmāṇi bhairave satyabhītavat ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
तथा अपिtathā apiand yet [despite that]; and yet
तव पुत्रस्यtava putrasyaof your son; [of your] son
प्रियकामाःpriyakāmāḥwishing [him] well [striving to please]; striving to please
विशां पतेviśāṃ pateO lord of the people; O sovereign
यशःyaśaḥglory [honor]; glory
प्रवीराःpravīrāḥheroes [valiant men]; heroes
लोकेषुlokeṣuamong the worlds [among men]; among men
रक्षन्तःrakṣantaḥguarding [protecting]; protecting
द्रोणम्droṇamDrona; Drona
अन्वयुःanvayuḥfollowed [held close to]; held close [to]
समुद्यतेषुsamudyateṣu[when] raised [lifted]; [when] raised
शस्त्रेषुśastreṣuweapons; weapons
संप्राप्तेsaṃprāpte[when] approached [drew near]; [when] drew near
चcaand; —
युधिष्ठिरेyudhiṣṭhireYudhishthira; Yudhishthira
अकुर्वन्akurvanperformed [did]; performed
आर्यकर्माणिāryakarmāṇinoble deeds [worthy acts]; worthy deeds
भैरवेbhairave[in the] fearsome [battle]; [in the] fearsome [fray]
सत्यभीतवत्satyabhītavatas those fearing [to violate] truth [true to their word to the point of scruple]; as those fearing to betray the truth
Translation
And yet the heroes, striving to please your son, O sovereign, and guarding their glory among men, held close to Drona. When weapons were raised and Yudhishthira drew near, they performed worthy deeds in the fearsome fray, as men fearing to betray the truth.
Version
9974dfb7eba5 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:11:21 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The warriors fight valiantly, "as men fearing to betray the truth" -- what keeps them in the ranks is not gain alone, but honor and dread of disgrace. Thus it is shown that even in an unrighteous host, the courage of individual men is genuine: they are true to their word and to their glory, though their lord's cause is not right. It is telling that they "protect Drona" -- they shield their teacher, discharging the duty of loyalty. The verse teaches that faithfulness to one's word and fear of dishonoring oneself can manifest true valor even in an evil cause; that a warrior answers for his own honor even when he does not answer for his lord's choice; and that the tradition, in noting their "worthy deeds," again distinguishes the measure of the man from the measure of the deed -- the valor of the fighters remains valor, though the banner under which it is shown is not righteous.