Mahabharata · 7.37.19–20
॥
Devanāgarī
ह्रीमान् अमर्षी सौभद्रो मानकृत् प्रियदर्शनः ॥
संमिमानयिषुर् वीरान् इष्वासांश् चाप्य् अयुध्यत ॥
मृदुर् भूत्वा महाराज दारुणः समपद्यत ॥
वर्षाभ्यतीतो भगवाञ् शरदीव दिवाकरः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
hrīmān amarṣī saubhadro mānakṛt priyadarśanaḥ ||
saṃmimānayiṣur vīrān iṣvāsāṃś cāpy ayudhyata ||
mṛdur bhūtvā mahārāja dāruṇaḥ samapadyata ||
varṣābhyatīto bhagavāñ śaradīva divākaraḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
ह्रीमान्hrīmānmodest [conscientious]; conscientious
अमर्षीamarṣīunyielding [not tolerating insult]; unyielding
सौभद्रःsaubhadraḥSubhadra's son [Abhimanyu]; Subhadra's son
मानकृत्mānakṛtgiving honor [honoring others]; giving honor
प्रियदर्शनःpriyadarśanaḥpleasing in appearance [comely]; comely
संमिमानयिषुःsaṃmimānayiṣuḥwishing to honor [paying tribute]; wishing to honor
वीरान्vīrānheroes [warriors]; warriors
इष्वासान्iṣvāsānarchers; archers
चcaand; --
अपिapialso [too]; --
अयुध्यतayudhyatafought [battled]; fought
मृदुःmṛduḥgentle [mild]; gentle
भूत्वाbhūtvāhaving become; having become
महाराजmahārājaO great king; O great sovereign
दारुणःdāruṇaḥfearsome [stern]; fearsome
समपद्यतsamapadyatabecame [turned into]; turned into
वर्षाभ्यतीतःvarṣābhyatītaḥ[when] the rainy season had passed; [when] the rainy season had passed
भगवान्bhagavānthe lord [blessed one]; the lordly
शरदिśaradiin autumn [in the autumn season]; in autumn
इवivalike [as]; just as
दिवाकरःdivākaraḥthe sun; the sun
Translation
Conscientious, unyielding, honoring others, comely, wishing to pay tribute to the warriors and archers, Subhadra's son fought in this way as well. Having become gentle, O great sovereign, he then turned fearsome, just as the lordly sun does in autumn, when the rainy season has passed.
Version
cb3b7beb64b6 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:22:09 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
There is a wondrous combination in the boy: 'conscientious,' 'giving honor' to his enemies -- and unyielding; gentle -- and fearsome. He honors his archer-opponents even in battle, without demeaning them, and only then displays his fearsome power, like the autumn sun after the rains. It is telling that his nobility lies in respect for worthy enemies, while his sternness comes not from malice but as a duty. The verse teaches that supreme valor joins gentleness with fearsomeness, respectfulness with unyielding resolve; that honoring an enemy even in battle is a mark of true nobility untouched by hatred; and that a warrior, gentle and respectful at first and fearsome only by necessity, is like the autumn sun -- clear and benevolent, yet scorching in its hour -- showing that sternness born not of malice but of duty is luminous, like autumn light.