Mahabharata · 7.34.20–21
॥
Devanāgarī
युधिष्ठिर उवाच
भिन्ध्य् अनीकं युधा श्रेष्ठ द्वारं संजनयस्व नः ॥
वयं त्वानुगमिष्यामो येन त्वं तात यास्यसि ॥
धनंजयसमं युद्धे त्वां वयं तात संयुगे ॥
प्रणिधायानुयास्यामो रक्षन्तः सर्वतोमुखाः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca
bhindhy anīkaṃ yudhā śreṣṭha dvāraṃ saṃjanayasva naḥ ||
vayaṃ tvānugamiṣyāmo yena tvaṃ tāta yāsyasi ||
dhanaṃjayasamaṃ yuddhe tvāṃ vayaṃ tāta saṃyuge ||
praṇidhāyānuyāsyāmo rakṣantaḥ sarvatomukhāḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
भिन्धिbhindhibreach; breach
अनीकम्anīkamthe array; the array
युधा श्रेष्ठyudhā śreṣṭhaO best of warriors; O best of warriors
द्वारम्dvārama gate [an opening]; an opening
संजनयस्वsaṃjanayasvacreate; create
नःnaḥfor us; for us
वयम्vayamwe; we
त्वाtvā[after] you; [after] you
अनुगमिष्यामःanugamiṣyāmaḥwill follow; will follow
येनyenawherever; wherever
त्वम्tvamyou; you
तातtātaO dear one [son]; son
यास्यसिyāsyasiwill go; you go
धनंजयसमम्dhanaṃjayasamamequal to Dhananjaya [Arjuna]; equal to Dhananjaya
युद्धेyuddhein battle; in battle
त्वाम्tvāmyou; you
वयम्vayamwe; we
तातtātaO dear one [son]; son
संयुगेsaṃyugein the fight; in the fight
प्रणिधायpraṇidhāyahaving placed [set]; having placed [in front]
अनुयास्यामःanuyāsyāmaḥwill follow; will follow
रक्षन्तःrakṣantaḥguarding [protecting]; guarding [you]
सर्वतोमुखाःsarvatomukhāḥ[turned] on all sides; from all sides
Translation
"Breach the array, O best of warriors, create an opening for us; we will follow after you wherever you go, son. Having placed you, equal to Dhananjaya in battle, in front, son, we will follow in the fight, guarding you from all sides."
Version
6f41ce6205cc · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:22:09 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The elders give a promise that will not be fulfilled: "we will follow, guarding you from all sides." On this pledge rests the boy's consent to enter where he does not know how to leave — he relies on their word. It is telling that the whole tragedy will hinge precisely on the breaking of this promise: tomorrow Jayadratha will hold them back at the entrance, and the boy will be left alone. The verse teaches that a promise of protection given to one who takes on mortal risk is sacred — another's life rests upon it; that to break such a vow is the gravest fault, for it was that vow which justified the trusting one's very step; and that Abhimanyu perishes not from his half-knowledge alone, but also from the broken word of those who swore to protect him — and so his blood is on the conscience not only of his killers but also of those who failed to keep their vow.