Mahabharata · 7.48.21–22
॥
Devanāgarī
द्रोणकर्णमुखैः षड्भिर् धार्तराष्ट्रैर् महारथैः ॥
एको ऽयं निहतः शेते नैष धर्मो मतो हि नः ॥
तस्मिंस् तु निहते वीरे बह्व् अशोभत मेदिनी ॥
द्यौर् यथा पूर्णचन्द्रेण नक्षत्रगणमालिनी ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
droṇakarṇamukhaiḥ ṣaḍbhir dhārtarāṣṭrair mahārathaiḥ ||
eko 'yaṃ nihataḥ śete naiṣa dharmo mato hi naḥ ||
tasmiṃs tu nihate vīre bahv aśobhata medinī ||
dyaur yathā pūrṇacandreṇa nakṣatragaṇamālinī ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
द्रोणकर्णमुखैःdroṇakarṇamukhaiḥled by Drona and Karna; with Drona and Karna at the fore
षड्भिःṣaḍbhiḥby six; by six
धार्तराष्ट्रैः महारथैःdhārtarāṣṭraiḥ mahārathaiḥgreat chariot-warriors of Dhritarashtra; maharathas of Dhartarashtra
एकः अयम्ekaḥ ayamhe alone [this one only]; this one alone
निहतःnihataḥslain; struck down
शेतेśetelies; lies
न एषः धर्मःna eṣaḥ dharmaḥthis is not dharma [not by right]; this is not dharma
मतः हि नःmataḥ hi naḥas we judge [as we hold]; in our judgment
तस्मिन् तु निहते वीरेtasmin tu nihate vīrewhen that hero was slain; upon that warrior's death
बहु अशोभतbahu aśobhatashone brightly [radiated]; shone brightly
मेदिनीmedinīthe earth; the earth
द्यौः यथाdyauḥ yathāas the sky; as the firmament
पूर्णचन्द्रेणpūrṇacandreṇawith the full moon; with the full moon
नक्षत्रगणमालिनीnakṣatragaṇamālinīgarlanded with a host of stars [constellations]; wreathed in a host of constellations
Translation
"By six great chariot-warriors of Dhritarashtra, led by Drona and Karna, this one alone is struck down and lies here — this is not dharma, in our judgment." And when that hero was slain, the earth shone brightly, like the sky with the full moon garlanded in a host of stars.
Version
2b651163d6be · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:30:04 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The gravest accusation comes from the very mouths of the Kaurava warriors: "na eṣa dharmaḥ mato hi naḥ" — "this is not dharma, in our judgment." The victors themselves bear witness against themselves; six against one boy is no victory but a disgrace, and they know it. And straight after this verdict comes the image of the earth shining, "like the sky with the full moon garlanded in stars": the fallen boy adorns the earth as the moon adorns the sky. The verse teaches that a triumph won unrighteously pronounces its own sentence, while the victim of iniquity remains a light.