Mahabharata · 7.52.11–12
॥
Devanāgarī
न देवा न च गन्धर्वा नासुरोरगराक्षसाः ॥
उत्सहन्ते ऽन्यथा कर्तुं कुत एव नराधिपाः ॥
तस्मान् माम् अनुजानीत भद्रं वो ऽस्तु नरर्षभाः ॥
अदर्शनं गमिष्यामि न मां द्रक्ष्यन्ति पाण्डवाः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
na devā na ca gandharvā nāsuroragarākṣasāḥ ||
utsahante 'nyathā kartuṃ kuta eva narādhipāḥ ||
tasmān mām anujānīta bhadraṃ vo 'stu nararṣabhāḥ ||
adarśanaṃ gamiṣyāmi na māṃ drakṣyanti pāṇḍavāḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
न देवाःna devāḥneither the gods; neither the gods
न च गन्धर्वाःna ca gandharvāḥnor the gandharvas; nor the gandharvas
न असुरोरगराक्षसाःna asuroragarākṣasāḥnor the asuras, serpents and rakshasas; nor the asuras, serpents, rakshasas
उत्सहन्ते अन्यथा कर्तुम्utsahante anyathā kartumare able to make it otherwise [avert it]; are empowered to avert it
कुतः एव नराधिपाःkutaḥ eva narādhipāḥhow then could mere kings; how much less kings
तस्मात् माम् अनुजानीतtasmāt mām anujānītatherefore let me go [permit me]; therefore permit me to go
भद्रम् वः अस्तुbhadram vaḥ astumay good fortune be yours; may good fortune be with you
नरर्षभाःnararṣabhāḥO bulls among men; O men-bulls
अदर्शनम् गमिष्यामिadarśanam gamiṣyāmiI shall go where I cannot be seen [vanish]; I shall vanish from sight
न माम् द्रक्ष्यन्ति पाण्डवाःna mām drakṣyanti pāṇḍavāḥthe Pandavas will not see me; the Pandavas will not find me
Translation
"Neither the gods, nor the gandharvas, nor the asuras, serpents and rakshasas are able to avert it — how much less mere kings! Therefore permit me to go; may good fortune be with you, O men-bulls. I shall vanish from sight — the Pandavas will not find me."
Version
632b70d561fa · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:36:52 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Jayadratha repeats — almost word for word — what Arjuna himself will proclaim: neither gods nor asuras can turn aside the fated outcome. But on his lips this knowledge breeds not courage but the resolve to hide: "adarśanaṃ gamiṣyāmi", "I shall vanish from sight." It is telling that the very same truth about the inevitability of fate the one bound by an oath turns into steadfastness, while the guilty man turns it into flight. The verse teaches that knowledge of the inevitable does not by itself save a man: it either strengthens one who walks the path of duty, or plunges another into shameful cowardice — everything depends on whose side the truth stands.