अकम्पनीयाः शत्रूणां बभूवुस् तत्र पाण्डवाः ॥
अकम्पयंस् त्व् अनीकानि स्मरन्तः क्लेशम् आत्मनः ॥
ते त्व् अमर्षवशं प्राप्ता ह्रीमन्तः सत्त्वचोदिताः ॥
त्यक्त्वा प्राणान् न्यवर्तन्त घ्नन्तो द्रोणं महाहवे ॥
अयसाम् इव संपातः शिलानाम् इव चाभवत् ॥
दीव्यतां तुमुले युद्धे प्राणैर् अमिततेजसाम् ॥
akampanīyāḥ śatrūṇāṃ babhūvus tatra pāṇḍavāḥ ||
akampayaṃs tv anīkāni smarantaḥ kleśam ātmanaḥ ||
te tv amarṣavaśaṃ prāptā hrīmantaḥ sattvacoditāḥ ||
tyaktvā prāṇān nyavartanta ghnanto droṇaṃ mahāhave ||
ayasām iva saṃpātaḥ śilānām iva cābhavat ||
dīvyatāṃ tumule yuddhe prāṇair amitatejasām ||
The Pandavas there were unshakable for their enemies, while they themselves shook the enemy's hosts, remembering their own torments. They, having fallen into the sway of indignation, conscientious, driven by courage, casting off their very life, rushed to strike down Drona in the great fray. It was a clash like the collision of iron and stones -- of boundlessly mighty men, staking their lives in the furious battle.
069c308b949b · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:11:21 PM UTC
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The Pandavas are driven into battle by the memory of the torments they suffered -- wrongs unavenged turn into an unconquerable force. It is telling that they are called "conscientious" (hrīmantaḥ): their fury is not base, but is bound together with shame at retreating and with courage, not with mere malice alone. They "stake their very life" -- the highest wager in that "game for Drona." The verse teaches that righteous indignation, remembering the evil done, gives rise to a steadfastness nothing can break; that true courage joins fury with shame before dishonor and with strength of spirit, without degenerating into blind malice; and that warriors who have cast off their very life are unconquerable, for they have nothing left to lose but honor -- and this they guard, and so they stand like stone against iron.