Mahabharata · 7.33.15–16
॥
Devanāgarī
तेषां दशसहस्राणि बभूवुर् दृढधन्विनाम् ॥
पौत्रं तव पुरस्कृत्य लक्ष्मणं प्रियदर्शनम् ॥
अन्योन्यसमदुःखास् ते अन्योन्यसमसाहसाः ॥
अन्योन्यं स्पर्धमानाश् च अन्योन्यस्य हिते रताः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
teṣāṃ daśasahasrāṇi babhūvur dṛḍhadhanvinām ||
pautraṃ tava puraskṛtya lakṣmaṇaṃ priyadarśanam ||
anyonyasamaduḥkhās te anyonyasamasāhasāḥ ||
anyonyaṃ spardhamānāś ca anyonyasya hite ratāḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
तेषाम्teṣām[of] them; their
दशसहस्राणिdaśasahasrāṇiten thousand; ten thousand
बभूवुःbabhūvuḥthere were [numbered]; numbered
दृढधन्विनाम्dṛḍhadhanvināmof firm-bowed [steady archers]; steady archers
पौत्रम् तवpautram tavayour grandson; [your] grandson
पुरस्कृत्यpuraskṛtyaplacing at the head; placing at the head
लक्ष्मणम्lakṣmaṇamLakshmana; Lakshmana
प्रियदर्शनम्priyadarśanampleasant to behold [comely]; comely
अन्योन्यसमदुःखाःanyonyasamaduḥkhāḥsharing each other's sorrows; sharing each other's sorrows
तेtethose; they
अन्योन्यसमसाहसाःanyonyasamasāhasāḥequal to one another in daring; equal [to one another] in daring
अन्योन्यम्anyonyamwith one another; with one another
स्पर्धमानाःspardhamānāḥcontending [rivaling]; rivaling
चcaand; --
अन्योन्यस्यanyonyasyaeach other's; each other's
हितेhite[in] welfare; [for] welfare
रताःratāḥdevoted [attached]; devoted
Translation
Of them, steady archers, there numbered ten thousand, having placed at their head your grandson, comely Lakshmana. Sharing each other's sorrows, equal to one another in daring, rivaling one another, and devoted to each other's welfare, [they stood].
Version
b7685dfaca34 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:22:09 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The ten thousand archers are described not by number but by bond: they "share sorrows, are equal in daring, rival one another, and are devoted to each other's welfare." Thus is shown the ideal of martial brotherhood -- rivalry without enmity, contest in valor joined with care for one's fellow. It is significant that rivalry and mutual love are joined together: they contend over who is more valorous, yet wish each other well. The verse teaches that true comradeship holds both rivalry and care together -- good rivalry does not destroy but binds; that sharing sorrows and caring for a comrade's welfare is the foundation of unity; and that an army bound by such a tie is formidable not by number alone but by the oneness of spirit in which each fights both for himself and for all -- though even this beautiful bond is, alas, given here to an unjust cause.