Mahabharata · 7.65.31–32
॥
Devanāgarī
एवं दुःशासनबलं वध्यमानं किरीटिना ॥
संप्राद्रवन् महाराज व्यथितं वै सनायकम् ॥
ततो दुःशासनस् त्रस्तः सहानीकः शरार्दितः ॥
द्रोणं त्रातारम् आकाङ्क्षञ् शकटव्यूहम् अभ्यगात् ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
evaṃ duḥśāsanabalaṃ vadhyamānaṃ kirīṭinā ||
saṃprādravan mahārāja vyathitaṃ vai sanāyakam ||
tato duḥśāsanas trastaḥ sahānīkaḥ śarārditaḥ ||
droṇaṃ trātāram ākāṅkṣañ śakaṭavyūham abhyagāt ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
एवम् दुःशासनबलम्evam duḥśāsanabalamthus the army of Duhshasana; thus the host of Duhshasana
वध्यमानम् किरीटिनाvadhyamānam kirīṭinābeing slain by the Crowned One; being slain by the Crowned One
संप्राद्रवत् महाराजsaṃprādravat mahārājafled, O great king; fled, O sovereign
व्यथितम् वै सनायकम्vyathitam vai sanāyakamstricken, together with its leader; in turmoil, with its leader
ततः दुःशासनः त्रस्तःtataḥ duḥśāsanaḥ trastaḥthen Duhshasana, terrified; then Duhshasana, terrified
सहानीकः शरार्दितःsahānīkaḥ śarārditaḥwith his army, tormented by arrows; with his host, tormented by arrows
द्रोणम् त्रातारम् आकाङ्क्षन्droṇam trātāram ākāṅkṣandesiring Drona as protector; seeking in Drona a protector
शकटव्यूहम् अभ्यगात्śakaṭavyūham abhyagātrushed toward the cart-formation; rushed toward the cart-formation
Translation
Thus the army of Duhshasana, being slain by the Crowned One, fled, O great king, stricken, together with its leader. Then Duhshasana, terrified, with his army tormented by arrows, desiring Drona as his protector, rushed toward the cart-formation.
Version
3152e97a69eb · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:45:02 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The chapter closes with the flight of the guilty: "duḥśāsanaḥ trastaḥ… droṇaṃ trātāram ākāṅkṣan," terrified, he seeks in Drona a protector. The one who went forth "devouring the earth" now flees to a wall made of his teacher. It is telling that the accomplice in Abhimanyu's death is the first to seek shelter — conscience and fear drive him. The verse teaches that wrongdoing gives no strength to stand firm: the one who boasted turns to flight, seeking refuge behind another's strength; and he who has done evil is, in the hour of reckoning, the first of all to flee for protection — yet a human wall cannot shield anyone from the retribution that is overtaking him.