Mahabharata · 7.63.20–21
॥
Devanāgarī
ततो दुःशासनश् चैव विकर्णश् च तवात्मजौ ॥
सिन्धुराजार्थसिद्ध्यर्थम् अग्रानीके व्यवस्थितौ ॥
दीर्घो द्वादशगव्यूतिः पश्चार्धे पञ्च विस्तृतः ॥
व्यूहः स चक्रशकटो भारद्वाजेन निर्मितः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
tato duḥśāsanaś caiva vikarṇaś ca tavātmajau ||
sindhurājārthasiddhyartham agrānīke vyavasthitau ||
dīrgho dvādaśagavyūtiḥ paścārdhe pañca vistṛtaḥ ||
vyūhaḥ sa cakraśakaṭo bhāradvājena nirmitaḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
ततः दुःशासनः च एवtataḥ duḥśāsanaḥ ca evathen Duhshasana; then Duhshasana
विकर्णः च तव आत्मजौvikarṇaḥ ca tava ātmajauand Vikarna, your sons; and Vikarna, your sons
सिन्धुराजार्थसिद्ध्यर्थम्sindhurājārthasiddhyarthamfor the sake of achieving the Sindhu king's purpose; for the sake of the Sindhu king's cause
अग्रानीके व्यवस्थितौagrānīke vyavasthitaustood in the front rank; took their stand in the vanguard
दीर्घः द्वादशगव्यूतिःdīrghaḥ dvādaśagavyūtiḥlong, twelve gavyutis; long, twelve gavyutis
पश्चार्धे पञ्च विस्तृतःpaścārdhe pañca vistṛtaḥin the rear half, five [gavyutis] wide; in the rear part, five wide
व्यूहः सः चक्रशकटःvyūhaḥ saḥ cakraśakaṭaḥthat formation -- the "wheel-cart"; that formation -- the Cakrashakata
भारद्वाजेन निर्मितःbhāradvājena nirmitaḥbuilt by the son of Bharadvaja; constructed by the son of Bharadvaja
Translation
Then Duhshasana and Vikarna, your sons, took their stand in the vanguard for the sake of achieving the Sindhu king's purpose. Twelve gavyutis long, five gavyutis wide at the rear, that formation -- the "wheel-cart" -- was built by the son of Bharadvaja.
Version
77d1b9ecd31c · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:45:02 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Again, the king's sons -- Duhshasana, Vikarna -- are placed "sindhurājārthasiddhyartham," for the Sindhu king's cause, in the vanguard. The enormous "cakraśakaṭaḥ," the wheel-cart formation, twelve gavyutis long, displays Drona's mastery. It is telling that all this might is raised not for justice but to shelter the guilty. The verse teaches that the greatest skill, placed in the service of an unrighteous cause, gains no blessing: however masterful the formation, if its purpose is to shield lawlessness, it is doomed, for skill without rightness of aim is powerless before the higher will.