Mahabharata · 7.76.3–4
॥
Devanāgarī
ये गताः पाण्डवं युद्धे क्रोधामर्षसमन्विताः ॥
ते ऽद्यापि न निवर्तन्ते सिन्धवः सागराद् इव ॥
असन्तस् तु न्यवर्तन्त वेदेभ्य इव नास्तिकाः ॥
नरकं भजमानास् ते प्रत्यपद्यन्त किल्बिषम् ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
ye gatāḥ pāṇḍavaṃ yuddhe krodhāmarṣasamanvitāḥ ||
te 'dyāpi na nivartante sindhavaḥ sāgarād iva ||
asantas tu nyavartanta vedebhya iva nāstikāḥ ||
narakaṃ bhajamānās te pratyapadyanta kilbiṣam ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
ये गताः पाण्डवम् युद्धेye gatāḥ pāṇḍavam yuddhethose who went [against] Pandava in battle; those who went against Pandava in the fight
क्रोधामर्षसमन्विताःkrodhāmarṣasamanvitāḥfull of anger and impatience; full of anger and fervor
ते अद्य अपि न निवर्तन्तेte adya api na nivartantethey, even now, do not return; they, even now, do not return
सिन्धवः सागरात् इवsindhavaḥ sāgarāt ivaas rivers [do not return] from the ocean; as rivers from the ocean
असन्तः तु न्यवर्तन्तasantaḥ tu nyavartantabut the wicked [worthless] turned back; but the worthless turned back
वेदेभ्यः इव नास्तिकाःvedebhyaḥ iva nāstikāḥas unbelievers [nāstikas] turn from the Vedas; as unbelievers turn from the Vedas
नरकम् भजमानाः तेnarakam bhajamānāḥ tefalling into hell, they; falling into hell, they
प्रत्यपद्यन्त किल्बिषम्pratyapadyanta kilbiṣamincurred sin; incurred sin
Translation
Those who went against Pandava in battle, full of anger and impatience, even now do not return — as rivers do not return from the ocean. But the worthless turned back, as unbelievers turn from the Vedas; falling into hell, they incurred sin.
Version
61bf856392d2 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:52:56 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
A subtle distinction: the brave "na nivartante", did not return (they fell, like rivers into the ocean), while the "asantaḥ", the worthless, fled, "vedebhyaḥ iva nāstikāḥ", like unbelievers turning from the Vedas, and "pratyapadyanta kilbiṣam", incurred sin. It is telling that fleeing the field is equated with apostasy from the Vedas. The verse teaches that fidelity to duty unto death is sacred, while flight from cowardice is sinful: one who abandons battle out of fear is like one who has renounced the sacred; and in the dharma of the kshatriya, steadfastness before death is the path to heaven, while flight leads to hell.