Mahabharata · 7.53.24–25
॥
Devanāgarī
सो ऽहम् इच्छाम्य् अनुज्ञातुं रक्षितुं वा महात्मना ॥
द्रोणेन सहपुत्रेण वीरेण यदि मन्यसे ॥
स राज्ञा स्वयम् आचार्यो भृशम् आक्रन्दितो ऽर्जुन ॥
संविधानं च विहितं रथाश् च किल सज्जिताः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
so 'ham icchāmy anujñātuṃ rakṣituṃ vā mahātmanā ||
droṇena sahaputreṇa vīreṇa yadi manyase ||
sa rājñā svayam ācāryo bhṛśam ākrandito 'rjuna ||
saṃvidhānaṃ ca vihitaṃ rathāś ca kila sajjitāḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
सः अहम् इच्छामिsaḥ aham icchāmiI, being such, wish; here I am, I wish
अनुज्ञातुम्anujñātumto be given leave [to depart]; to obtain permission
रक्षितुम् वाrakṣitum vāor to be protected; or to be shielded
महात्मना द्रोणेनmahātmanā droṇenaby the great-souled Drona; by mighty Drona
सहपुत्रेण वीरेणsahaputreṇa vīreṇawith his heroic son; with his valiant son
यदि मन्यसेyadi manyaseif you deem it fit; should you judge so
सः राज्ञा स्वयम् आचार्यःsaḥ rājñā svayam ācāryaḥthat teacher, by the king himself; that teacher, by the king himself
भृशम् आक्रन्दितःbhṛśam ākranditaḥearnestly implored [beseeched with tears]; tearfully entreated
संविधानम् च विहितम्saṃvidhānam ca vihitamand the arrangement was made; and the array was set
रथाः च किल सज्जिताःrathāḥ ca kila sajjitāḥand the chariots, it is said, were readied; and the chariots were readied
Translation
[Jayadratha:] "Here I am — I wish to be given leave [to depart], or to be shielded by mighty Drona with his valiant son, should you judge so." [Krishna continues the spies' report:] That teacher was tearfully entreated by the king himself, and the array was set, and the chariots readied.
Version
6d21a8897a3e · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:36:52 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Jayadratha again does not choose between duty and flight, but hands the choice to others: "icchāmi anujñātum rakṣituṃ vā", "I wish — let them release or protect me." And Drona was "bhṛśam ākranditaḥ", "tearfully entreated": the defense is built on pleading, not on valor. It is significant that the whole mass of preparations is raised for the saving of one timid man. The verse teaches that a cause resting on the shielding of the guilty is flawed from the start: however many chariots are readied, a defense begged with tears for a coward gains neither rightness nor firmness.