Джаядратха
अथ वा स्थ प्रतिबलास् त्रातुं मां क्षत्रियर्षभाः ॥
पार्थेन प्रार्थितं वीरास् ते ददन्तु ममाभयम् ॥
द्रोणदुर्योधनकृपाः कर्णमद्रेशबाह्लिकाः ॥
दुःशासनादयः शक्तास् त्रातुम् अप्य् अन्तकाद्रितम् ॥
किम् अङ्ग पुनर् एकेन फल्गुनेन जिघांसता ॥
न त्रायेयुर् भवन्तो मां समस्ताः पतयः क्षितेः ॥
atha vā stha pratibalās trātuṃ māṃ kṣatriyarṣabhāḥ ||
pārthena prārthitaṃ vīrās te dadantu mamābhayam ||
droṇaduryodhanakṛpāḥ karṇamadreśabāhlikāḥ ||
duḥśāsanādayaḥ śaktās trātum apy antakādritam ||
kim aṅga punar ekena phalgunena jighāṃsatā ||
na trāyeyur bhavanto māṃ samastāḥ patayaḥ kṣiteḥ ||
"Or else, should you be able to defend me, O kshatriya-bulls — me, whom Partha seeks — O warriors, may you grant me protection. Drona, Duryodhana, Kripa, Karna, the king of Madra, Bahlika, Duhshasana and the rest are able to save even one overtaken by Death; all the more so from one alone, from Phalguna, eager to kill — will not all of you together, lords of the earth, save me?"
54bf903b8ee3 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:36:52 PM UTC
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Between flight and battle Jayadratha seeks a third way — shelter behind others: "te dadantu mama abhayam", "let them grant me protection." It is telling that the word "abhaya", refuge, on his lips becomes a plea for salvation at the cost of others' lives, whereas the day before Arjuna had offered him this very refuge as a path to saving his honor. The long roster of protectors betrays the measure of his fear: he relies on everyone but himself. The verse teaches that cowardice seeks salvation outside itself — in a multitude of defenders rather than in one's own dharma; but a wall of others' valor cannot heal a broken spirit.