Mahabharata · 7.62.22–23
॥
Devanāgarī
यावत् तु शक्यते कर्तुम् अनुरक्तैर् जनाधिपैः ॥
क्षत्रधर्मरतैः शूरैस् तावत् कुर्वन्ति कौरवाः ॥
यथा तु पुरुषव्याघ्रैर् युद्धं परमसङ्कटम् ॥
कुरूणां पाण्डवैः सार्धं तत् सर्वं शृणु तत्त्वतः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
yāvat tu śakyate kartum anuraktair janādhipaiḥ ||
kṣatradharmarataiḥ śūrais tāvat kurvanti kauravāḥ ||
yathā tu puruṣavyāghrair yuddhaṃ paramasaṅkaṭam ||
kurūṇāṃ pāṇḍavaiḥ sārdhaṃ tat sarvaṃ śṛṇu tattvataḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
यावत् तु शक्यते कर्तुम्yāvat tu śakyate kartumas much as can be done; as much as can be done
अनुरक्तैः जनाधिपैःanuraktaiḥ janādhipaiḥby devoted rulers of men; by devoted rulers of men
क्षत्रधर्मरतैः शूरैःkṣatradharmarataiḥ śūraiḥdevoted to kshatriya dharma, valiant; faithful to kshatriya dharma, valiant
तावत् कुर्वन्ति कौरवाःtāvat kurvanti kauravāḥso much do the Kauravas do; so much the Kauravas do
यथा तु पुरुषव्याघ्रैःyathā tu puruṣavyāghraiḥbut how, by tigers among men; but how, by tigers among men
युद्धम् परमसंकटम्yuddham paramasaṃkaṭama most dreadful battle; a most dreadful battle
कुरूणाम् पाण्डवैः सार्धम्kurūṇām pāṇḍavaiḥ sārdhamof the Kurus together with the Pandavas; of the Kurus together with the Pandavas
तत् सर्वम् शृणु तत्त्वतःtat sarvam śṛṇu tattvataḥall that hear in truth; hear all that in truth
Translation
"As much as can be done by devoted rulers of men, valiant, devoted to the kshatriya dharma — so much do the Kauravas do. But how the most dreadful battle of the Kurus with the Pandavas [was fought] by tigers among men — hear all that in truth."
Version
6550345338c1 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:45:02 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Sanjaya concludes his reflection, again impartial: "yāvat śakyate… tāvat kurvanti kauravāḥ," "as much as can be done — so much the Kauravas do"; they fight at the very limit of courage and duty. Then comes the turn to the narrative: "tat sarvaṃ śṛṇu tattvataḥ," "hear all that in truth." It is telling that, after denouncing the king, the narrator gives honor to both sides. The verse teaches that a true testimony joins directness of judgment with recognition of valor wherever it is found; a truthful narrator, having denounced wrongdoing, does not take from the fighters the honor of their courage as he prepares to tell the truth "as it is."