Mahabharata · 7.69.35–36
॥
Devanāgarī
एष ते कवचं राजंस् तथा बध्नामि काञ्चनम् ॥
यथा न बाणा नास्त्राणि विषहिष्यन्ति ते रणे ॥
यदि त्वां सासुरसुराः सयक्षोरगराक्षसाः ॥
योधयन्ति त्रयो लोकाः सनरा नास्ति ते भयम् ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
eṣa te kavacaṃ rājaṃs tathā badhnāmi kāñcanam ||
yathā na bāṇā nāstrāṇi viṣahiṣyanti te raṇe ||
yadi tvāṃ sāsurasurāḥ sayakṣoragarākṣasāḥ ||
yodhayanti trayo lokāḥ sanarā nāsti te bhayam ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
एषः ते कवचम् राजन्eṣaḥ te kavacam rājanhere is your armor, O king; here is your armor, O king
तथा बध्नामि काञ्चनम्tathā badhnāmi kāñcanamthus I bind on the golden [one]; thus I bind on the golden armor
यथा न बाणाः न अस्त्राणिyathā na bāṇāḥ na astrāṇiso that neither arrows nor weapons; so that neither arrows nor weapons
विषहिष्यन्ति ते रणेviṣahiṣyanti te raṇeshall prevail over you in battle; shall overcome you in battle
यदि त्वाम् सासुरसुराःyadi tvām sāsurasurāḥif you, the gods with asuras and suras; if the gods with asuras
सयक्षोरगराक्षसाःsayakṣoragarākṣasāḥwith yakshas, serpents, and rakshasas; with yakshas, serpents, rakshasas
योधयन्ति त्रयः लोकाःyodhayanti trayaḥ lokāḥ[all] three worlds fight [against you]; the three worlds shall do battle
सनराः न अस्ति ते भयम्sanarāḥ na asti te bhayamtogether with men -- there is no fear for you; together with men -- there is no fear for you
Translation
"Here, O king, is a golden armor which I now bind upon you, so that neither arrows nor weapons shall prevail over you in battle. Should all three worlds -- the gods with asuras and suras, with yakshas, serpents, rakshasas, and men -- make war on you, there is no fear for you."
Version
66825ab815c2 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:45:02 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Drona clothes Duryodhana in invulnerable armor -- the utmost expression of a teacher's love for his pupil, however much that pupil has wronged him. But the reader remembers: no armor annuls the fated outcome of unrighteousness. It is telling that the truest care is bestowed on one unworthy of it. The verse teaches that a teacher's love extends even to the one who has insulted him: Drona gives his best to the very king who reviled him; yet even perfect protection cannot save a cause that lacks dharma -- armor guards the body, but does not overturn the verdict against unrighteousness.