संजय उवाच
सौभद्रस् तु वचः श्रुत्वा धर्मराजस्य धीमतः ॥
अचोदयत यन्तारं द्रोणानीकाय भारत ॥
तेन संचोद्यमानस् तु याहि याहीति सारथिः ॥
प्रत्युवाच ततो राजन्न् अभिमन्युम् इदं वचः ॥
अतिभारो ऽयम् आयुष्मन्न् आहितस् त्वयि पाण्डवैः ॥
संप्रधार्य क्षमं बुद्ध्या ततस् त्वं योद्धुम् अर्हसि ॥
आचार्यो हि कृती द्रोणः परमास्त्रे कृतश्रमः ॥
अत्यन्तसुखसंवृद्धस् त्वं च युद्धविशारदः ॥
saṃjaya uvāca
saubhadras tu vacaḥ śrutvā dharmarājasya dhīmataḥ ||
acodayata yantāraṃ droṇānīkāya bhārata ||
tena saṃcodyamānas tu yāhi yāhīti sārathiḥ ||
pratyuvāca tato rājann abhimanyum idaṃ vacaḥ ||
atibhāro 'yam āyuṣmann āhitas tvayi pāṇḍavaiḥ ||
saṃpradhārya kṣamaṃ buddhyā tatas tvaṃ yoddhum arhasi ||
ācāryo hi kṛtī droṇaḥ paramāstre kṛtaśramaḥ ||
atyantasukhasaṃvṛddhas tvaṃ ca yuddhaviśāradaḥ ||
The son of Subhadra, having heard the word of the wise King of Dharma, urged the charioteer [to drive] toward Drona's army, O Bharata. Being urged by him with «Drive, drive!», the charioteer, O king, answered Abhimanyu with this word: «An excessive burden, O long-lived one, has been placed on you by the Pandavas. Having weighed with reason what is within your strength, you ought then to fight. For the teacher Drona is skilled, proficient in the supreme astras; while you, though skilled in battle, were reared in comfort.»
8251af520b74 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:22:09 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The charioteer, a mere servant, proves wiser than kings: he alone speaks the truth to the youth — 'the burden is excessive; weigh with reason what is within your strength.' Where his elders, driven by need, sent a child into battle, it is the one of lowest rank who cares for him most sincerely. It is telling that the warning comes not from the chieftains but from the charioteer. The verse teaches that truth and care are not always found where power and rank reside — a servant may tend more truly to another's good than lords do; that prudence bids one measure the task against one's strength before rushing forward; and that a voice of caution sounded by the humble deserves to be heeded no less, but more, than the hasty call of the mighty — yet youthful daring, as we shall see, does not heed it.