Mahabharata · 7.76.16–17
॥
Devanāgarī
असौ मध्ये कृतः षड्भिर् धार्तराष्ट्रैर् महारथैः ॥
चक्षुर्विषयसंप्राप्तो न नौ मोक्ष्यति सैन्धवः ॥
यद्य् अस्य समरे गोप्ता शक्रो देवगणैः सह ॥
तथाप्य् एनं हनिष्याव इति कृष्णाव् अभाषताम् ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
asau madhye kṛtaḥ ṣaḍbhir dhārtarāṣṭrair mahārathaiḥ ||
cakṣurviṣayasaṃprāpto na nau mokṣyati saindhavaḥ ||
yady asya samare goptā śakro devagaṇaiḥ saha ||
tathāpy enaṃ haniṣyāva iti kṛṣṇāv abhāṣatām ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
असौ मध्ये कृतः षड्भिःasau madhye kṛtaḥ ṣaḍbhiḥhe has been placed in the middle by six; he has been hidden in the middle by six
धार्तराष्ट्रैः महारथैःdhārtarāṣṭraiḥ mahārathaiḥgreat warriors of Dhritarashtra; the mahārathas of the Dhartarashtras
चक्षुर्विषयसंप्राप्तःcakṣurviṣayasaṃprāptaḥ[but] having come within sight; but having come within sight
न नौ मोक्ष्यति सैन्धवःna nau mokṣyati saindhavaḥthe Sindhu king will not escape us; the Sindhu king will not escape us
यदि अस्य समरे गोप्ताyadi asya samare goptāif his protector in battle; if his protector in the fight
शक्रः देवगणैः सहśakraḥ devagaṇaiḥ sahais Shakra [Indra] together with the hosts of gods; is Shakra together with the hosts of gods
तथा अपि एनम् हनिष्यावःtathā api enam haniṣyāvaḥeven then we will kill him; even then we will slay him
इति कृष्णौ अभाषताम्iti kṛṣṇau abhāṣatāmso said the two Krishnas; so spoke the two Krishnas
Translation
"He has been placed in the middle by six great warriors of Dhritarashtra; [but] having come within sight, the king of Sindhu will not escape us. If his protector in battle is Shakra [Indra] together with the hosts of gods, even then we will kill him" — so said the two Krishnas.
Version
5dab149ed9ff · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:52:56 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The vow of the two is implacable: "yadi asya goptā śakraḥ… tathā api enaṃ haniṣyāvaḥ", "even if his protector were Indra with the gods — even then we will kill him." "Cakṣurviṣayasaṃprāptaḥ na mokṣyati", "having come within sight, he will not escape." It is telling that resolve shielded by God will not yield even before a heavenly host. The verse teaches that a will in accord with the will of the Lord cannot be revoked: neither gods nor Indra will turn aside what has been determined by God and His devotee; and one who has come within the field of that will is doomed, for behind it stands the Supreme Providence itself.