Mahabharata · 7.41.17–18
॥
Devanāgarī
धारयिष्यसि संग्रामे चतुरः पाण्डुनन्दनान् ॥
एवम् अस्त्व् इति देवेशम् उक्त्वाबुध्यत पार्थिवः ॥
स तेन वरदानेन दिव्येनास्त्रबलेन च ॥
एकः संधारयाम् आस पाण्डवानाम् अनीकिनीम् ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
dhārayiṣyasi saṃgrāme caturaḥ pāṇḍunandanān ||
evam astv iti deveśam uktvābudhyata pārthivaḥ ||
sa tena varadānena divyenāstrabalena ca ||
ekaḥ saṃdhārayām āsa pāṇḍavānām anīkinīm ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
धारयिष्यसिdhārayiṣyasiyou will hold back [restrain]; you will hold back
संग्रामेsaṃgrāmein battle; in battle
चतुरःcaturaḥfour; four
पाण्डुनन्दनान्pāṇḍunandanānsons of Pandu [the Pandavas]; sons of Pandu
एवम् अस्तुevam astu'so be it'; 'so be it!'
इतिitithus [having said]; —
देवेशम्deveśamto the lord of gods [Shiva]; to the lord of gods
उक्त्वाuktvāhaving said; having said
अबुध्यतabudhyataawoke [came to]; awoke
पार्थिवःpārthivaḥthe king [ruler]; the king
सःsaḥhe; he
तेन वरदानेनtena varadānenaby that granted boon [that gift]; by that gift
दिव्येनdivyenacelestial; celestial
अस्त्रबलेनastrabalenaby the power of the weapon [strength of the astra]; by the strength of [the celestial] weapon
चcaand; —
एकःekaḥalone [by himself]; alone
संधारयाम् आसsaṃdhārayām āsaheld back [restrained]; held back
पाण्डवानाम्pāṇḍavānāmof the Pandavas; of the Pandavas
अनीकिनीम्anīkinīmthe host [army]; the host
Translation
'You will hold back in battle four sons of Pandu.' Having said 'so be it!' to the lord of gods, the king awoke. By that gift and by the strength of the celestial weapon, he alone held back the host of the Pandavas.
Version
f05a9080f535 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:30:03 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The boon comes true: alone, by the strength of the celestial weapon, Jayadratha stands like a dam before the entire host. Thus the word of the Lord becomes effective in the world — what He speaks comes to pass. But in this very fulfillment of the boon a knot of fate is tied: having held back four, Jayadratha dooms himself to meet the fifth, Arjuna. It is significant that the gift which saves him now prepares his death. The verse teaches that the word of the Supreme is inevitably carried into deed; that a power granted from above is effective but not unconditional — it will fulfill only what was promised, no more; and that Jayadratha, triumphing now as a dam before the Pandavas, does not know that by this very barrier he is bringing upon himself the vow of Arjuna, the one man he cannot hold back — and in the fulfillment of the gift his own destruction is already ripening.