Mahabharata · 7.77.12–13
॥
Devanāgarī
बहूनि सुनृशंसानि कृतान्य् एतेन मानद ॥
युष्मासु पापमतिना अपापेष्व् एव नित्यदा ॥
तम् अनार्यं सदा क्षुद्रं पुरुषं कामचारिणम् ॥
आर्यां युद्धे मतिं कृत्वा जहि पार्थाविचारयन् ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
bahūni sunṛśaṃsāni kṛtāny etena mānada ||
yuṣmāsu pāpamatinā apāpeṣv eva nityadā ||
tam anāryaṃ sadā kṣudraṃ puruṣaṃ kāmacāriṇam ||
āryāṃ yuddhe matiṃ kṛtvā jahi pārthāvicārayan ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
बहूनि सुनृशंसानिbahūni sunṛśaṃsānimany most cruel [deeds]; many most cruel deeds
कृतानि एतेन मानदkṛtāni etena mānadadone by him, O bestower of honor; done by him, O honor-giver
युष्मासु पापमतिनाyuṣmāsu pāpamatināagainst you, evil-minded [as he is]; against you, evil-minded as he is
अपापेषु एव नित्यदाapāpeṣu eva nityadāagainst the sinless, always; against the sinless, always
तम् अनार्यम् सदा क्षुद्रम्tam anāryam sadā kṣudramthat ignoble, ever base; that ignoble, ever base
पुरुषम् कामचारिणम्puruṣam kāmacāriṇamman, acting by his own will; self-willed man
आर्याम् युद्धे मतिम् कृत्वाāryām yuddhe matim kṛtvā[having formed a] noble resolve in battle; having formed a noble resolve in battle
जहि पार्थ अविचारयन्jahi pārtha avicārayankill [him], Partha, without hesitation; slay him, Partha, without hesitation
Translation
"Many most cruel deeds have been done by him, O bestower of honor, against you, the sinless, always -- by one evil-minded. That ignoble, ever base man, acting by his own will -- having formed a noble resolve in battle, kill him, Partha, without hesitation."
Version
c61b4a4a7946 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:52:56 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
A subtle distinction: Krishna bids Arjuna, having formed "āryāṃ yuddhe matiṃ kṛtvā," a noble resolve, to kill the ignoble one. Even retribution must be enacted from an "ārya," noble intent, not from base malice. It is telling how the enemy's "anāryam" is set against the executor's "āryā matiḥ." The verse teaches that punishment too must be noble in spirit: to strike down the unrighteous is not to act from low revenge but from a lofty, righteous resolve; and by this righteous retribution is distinguished from mere vengeance -- by the purity of intent, noble even in the very act of punishment.