Mahabharata · 7.30.8–9
॥
Devanāgarī
यं यं स्म भजते द्रोणः पाञ्चालानां रथव्रजम् ॥
तत्र तत्र स्म पाञ्चाल्यो धृष्टद्युम्नो ऽथ धीयते ॥
यथाभागविपर्यासे संग्रामे भैरवे सति ॥
वीराः समासदन् वीरान् अगच्छन् भीरवः परान् ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
yaṃ yaṃ sma bhajate droṇaḥ pāñcālānāṃ rathavrajam ||
tatra tatra sma pāñcālyo dhṛṣṭadyumno 'tha dhīyate ||
yathābhāgaviparyāse saṃgrāme bhairave sati ||
vīrāḥ samāsadan vīrān agacchan bhīravaḥ parān ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
यम् यम्yam yamwhichever [toward whichever]; toward whichever
स्मsmaindeed [past-tense particle]; —
भजतेbhajateattacks [rushes upon]; would fall upon
द्रोणःdroṇaḥDrona; Drona
पाञ्चालानाम्pāñcālānāmof the Panchalas; [from among] the Panchalas
रथव्रजम्rathavrajamtroop of chariots [group of charioteers]; [a] troop of chariots
तत्र तत्रtatra tatrathither and thither [each time there]; each time there
स्मsmaindeed; —
पाञ्चाल्यःpāñcālyaḥthe Panchala; the Panchala
धृष्टद्युम्नःdhṛṣṭadyumnaḥDhrishtadyumna; Dhrishtadyumna
अथathaand [thereupon]; —
धीयतेdhīyatewas placed [stationed]; would be found
यथाभागविपर्यासेyathābhāgaviparyāsewhen the order [of shares] was reversed [confused]; [when] the order [of shares] was disturbed
संग्रामेsaṃgrāmein battle; in battle
भैरवेbhairavefearsome [dreadful]; fearsome
सतिsati[when] it was [amid]; —
वीराःvīrāḥheroes [warriors]; warriors
समासदन्samāsadanencountered [met with]; met
वीरान्vīrānheroes [warriors]; warriors
अगच्छन्agacchanwent [rushed]; went
भीरवःbhīravaḥthe timid [faint-hearted]; the timid
परान्parān[against] weaker [foes]; against the weaker
Translation
Whichever troop of chariots of the Panchalas Drona would fall upon, there each time was found the Panchala Dhrishtadyumna. When in the fearsome battle the order of the fighting-shares was disturbed, warriors met warriors, and the timid went against the weaker.
Version
784c21670488 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:11:21 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Dhrishtadyumna follows Drona relentlessly, shielding his own -- the one fated to slay him stays inseparably at his side, like the shadow of destiny. And in the chaos of battle, when "the order was disturbed," the nature of each man is laid bare: "warriors meet warriors, the timid go against the weaker." Thus disorder becomes a measure: it reveals what each man is worth once the outer roles fall away. The verse teaches that what is destined moves to meet itself -- the slayer is never far from the one doomed to fall; that in the hour when outward order collapses, a man discovers his true measure; and that the valiant seek their equal even in chaos, while the faint-hearted seek the weak, for confusion does not create character but exposes the character that was hidden beneath rank and formation.