Mahabharata · 7.49.4–5
॥
Devanāgarī
द्रोणानीकम् असंबाधं मम प्रियचिकीर्षया ॥
भित्त्वा व्यूहं प्रविष्टो ऽसौ गोमध्यम् इव केसरी ॥
यस्य शूरा महेष्वासाः प्रत्यनीकगता रणे ॥
प्रभग्ना विनिवर्तन्ते कृतास्त्रा युद्धदुर्मदाः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
droṇānīkam asaṃbādhaṃ mama priyacikīrṣayā ||
bhittvā vyūhaṃ praviṣṭo 'sau gomadhyam iva kesarī ||
yasya śūrā maheṣvāsāḥ pratyanīkagatā raṇe ||
prabhagnā vinivartante kṛtāstrā yuddhadurmadāḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
द्रोणानीकम्droṇānīkamthe army of Drona; Drona's host
असंबाधम्asaṃbādhamimpenetrable [impassable]; unassailable
मम प्रियचिकीर्षयाmama priyacikīrṣayāout of desire to please me; wishing to do me a kindness
भित्त्वा व्यूहम्bhittvā vyūhamhaving broken the battle array; having shattered the formation
प्रविष्टः असौpraviṣṭaḥ asauhe entered [penetrated]; he burst in
गोमध्यम् इव केसरीgomadhyam iva kesarīlike a lion into a herd of cows; as a lion into a herd of cattle
यस्यyasyawhose [before whom]; before whom
शूराः महेष्वासाःśūrāḥ maheṣvāsāḥbrave men, great archers; champions, mighty bowmen
प्रत्यनीकगताः रणेpratyanīkagatāḥ raṇewho had come to meet [him] in battle; who had stood against him in the fight
प्रभग्नाःprabhagnāḥbroken [shattered]; crushed
विनिवर्तन्तेvinivartanteturned back [retreated]; turned back in retreat
कृतास्त्राःkṛtāstrāḥskilled in weapons; masters of arms
युद्धदुर्मदाःyuddhadurmadāḥintoxicated with battle [frenzied in war]; fierce in combat
Translation
"Out of desire to please me he broke through the impenetrable host of Drona and burst into its ranks, like a lion into a herd of cattle. Before him champions, mighty bowmen, who had stood against him in battle, masters of arms, fierce in combat — shattered, turned back in retreat."
Version
855a61986a04 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:30:04 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
"Mama priyacikīrṣayā", "out of desire to please me", — with this word the king takes upon himself the cause of the death: the boy went to his death for his sake. The image "gomadhyam iva kesarī", "like a lion into a herd of cattle", extols the might of the young warrior before whom the most seasoned fighters fled. It is telling that in this lament grief and pride are inseparable: remembering how all retreated before the boy, the king feels all the more bitterly the price paid for his "kindness". The verse teaches that guilt weighs heaviest where the beloved has perished doing our will.