Mahabharata · 7.82.1–2
॥
Devanāgarī
संजय उवाच
बृहत्क्षत्रम् अथायान्तं केकयं दृढविक्रमम् ॥
क्षेमधूर्तिर् महाराज विव्याधोरसि मार्गणैः ॥
बृहत्क्षत्रस् तु तं राजा नवत्या नतपर्वणाम् ॥
आजघ्ने त्वरितो युद्धे द्रोणानीकबिभित्सया ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
saṃjaya uvāca
bṛhatkṣatram athāyāntaṃ kekayaṃ dṛḍhavikramam ||
kṣemadhūrtir mahārāja vivyādhorasi mārgaṇaiḥ ||
bṛhatkṣatras tu taṃ rājā navatyā nataparvaṇām ||
ājaghne tvarito yuddhe droṇānīkabibhitsayā ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
बृहत्क्षत्रम् अथ आयान्तम्bṛhatkṣatram atha āyāntamBrihatkshatra then, advancing; then Brihatkshatra, drawing near
केकयम् दृढविक्रमम्kekayam dṛḍhavikramamthe Kekaya, firm in valor; the Kekaya, stout in courage
क्षेमधूर्तिः महाराजkṣemadhūrtiḥ mahārājaKshemadhurti, O great king; Kshemadhurti, O great king
विव्याध उरसि मार्गणैःvivyādha urasi mārgaṇaiḥpierced in the chest with arrows; struck in the chest with arrows
बृहत्क्षत्रः तु तम् राजाbṛhatkṣatraḥ tu tam rājāBrihatkshatra, however, the king, him; but Brihatkshatra, the king, him
नवत्या नतपर्वणाम्navatyā nataparvaṇāmwith ninety smooth-jointed [arrows]; with ninety [arrows] with smooth joints
आजघ्ने त्वरितः युद्धेājaghne tvaritaḥ yuddhestruck, hastening in battle; struck, hastening in the fight
द्रोणानीकबिभित्सयाdroṇānīkabibhitsayāwith the desire to break through Drona's array; out of a longing to break through Drona's array
Translation
Then Kshemadhurti, O great king, pierced in the chest with arrows Brihatkshatra, the Kekaya, firm in valor, as he advanced. But King Brihatkshatra, hastening in battle, struck him with ninety smooth-jointed arrows, wishing to break through Drona's array.
Version
9dcd5e44c69c · published Jul 19, 2026, 4:02:22 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The duel arises from a shared purpose -- "droṇānīkabibhitsayā", to break through Drona's array: every private clash serves the single design of the day. It is telling that even in personal combat the warrior does not forget the whole for whose sake he went forth. The verse teaches that a man's valor has meaning only when it is subordinated to the common cause: the brave man fights not for himself, but to clear the path the whole army needs.