Mahabharata 7.78.16–18

Jayadratha-vadha-parva (The Wonder of the Invulnerable Armor)7.78.16–18

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Mahabharata · 7.78.16–18

॥

Devanāgarī

एष दुर्योधनः कृष्ण द्रोणेन विहिताम् इमाम् ॥
तिष्ठत्य् अभीतवत् संख्ये बिभ्रत् कवचधारणाम् ॥
यत् त्व् अत्र विहितं कार्यं नैष तद् वेत्ति माधव ॥
स्त्रीवद् एष बिभर्त्य् एतां युक्तां कवचधारणाम् ॥
पश्य बाह्वोश् च मे वीर्यं धनुषश् च जनार्दन ॥
पराजयिष्ये कौरव्यं कवचेनापि रक्षितम् ॥

Transliteration (IAST)

eṣa duryodhanaḥ kṛṣṇa droṇena vihitām imām ||
tiṣṭhaty abhītavat saṃkhye bibhrat kavacadhāraṇām ||
yat tv atra vihitaṃ kāryaṃ naiṣa tad vetti mādhava ||
strīvad eṣa bibharty etāṃ yuktāṃ kavacadhāraṇām ||
paśya bāhvoś ca me vīryaṃ dhanuṣaś ca janārdana ||
parājayiṣye kauravyaṃ kavacenāpi rakṣitam ||

Word-by-word

SanskritIASTMeaning

एषः दुर्योधनः कृष्णeṣaḥ duryodhanaḥ kṛṣṇathis Duryodhana, Krishna; here is Duryodhana, Krishna

द्रोणेन विहिताम् इमाम्droṇena vihitām imāmthis one arranged by Drona; this one ordained by Drona

तिष्ठति अभीतवत् संख्येtiṣṭhati abhītavat saṃkhyestands as if fearless in the battle; stands as though fearless in the fray

बिभ्रत् कवचधारणाम्bibhrat kavacadhāraṇāmbearing the donning of the armor; wearing the mail he has put on

यत् तु अत्र विहितम् कार्यम्yat tu atra vihitam kāryambut what rite is prescribed here; yet the rite ordained here

न एषः तत् वेत्ति माधवna eṣaḥ tat vetti mādhavathis one does not know that, Madhava; he does not know it, Madhava

स्त्रीवत् एषः बिभर्ति एताम्strīvat eṣaḥ bibharti etāmlike a woman he bears this; like a woman he wears it

युक्ताम् कवचधारणाम्yuktām kavacadhāraṇāmarmor bound [to the rite]; this donning of mail [bound to its rite]

पश्य बाह्वोः च मे वीर्यम्paśya bāhvoḥ ca me vīryambehold the might of my two arms; look at the strength of my arms

धनुषः च जनार्दनdhanuṣaḥ ca janārdanaand of the bow, Janardana; and of the bow, Janardana

पराजयिष्ये कौरव्यम्parājayiṣye kauravyamI shall defeat the Kauravya; I will vanquish the Kauravya

कवचेन अपि रक्षितम्kavacena api rakṣitameven though protected by armor; though guarded by his mail

Translation

"This Duryodhana, Krishna, stands in battle as though fearless, wearing this armor arranged by Drona; but what rite is prescribed here he does not know, Madhava — like a woman he wears this armor bound to its rite. Behold the might of my two arms and of my bow, Janardana: I shall vanquish the Kauravya, though he be guarded by his mail."

Commentary

"Strīvat... bibharti" — "he wears it like a woman": not as reproach to woman, but to him who has clothed himself in power without accepting its rite ("yuktāṃ kavacadhāraṇām"). Duryodhana bears the shell of knowledge without its heart — hence he is "abhītavat", fearless only in appearance. It is significant that might without the proper ordering of spirit is mere semblance. The verse teaches that one who has seized protection without earning its inner rite is protected only in show, and valor grounded in knowledge shall overcome bare armor.

Version

5a83fd168171 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:52:56 PM UTC

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