Mahabharata · 7.85.1
॥
Devanāgarī
धृतराष्ट्र उवाच
भारद्वाजं कथं युद्धे युयुधानो ऽभ्यवारयत् ॥
संजयाचक्ष्व तत्त्वेन परं कौतूहलं हि मे ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca
bhāradvājaṃ kathaṃ yuddhe yuyudhāno 'bhyavārayat ||
saṃjayācakṣva tattvena paraṃ kautūhalaṃ hi me ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
भारद्वाजम् कथम् युद्धेbhāradvājam katham yuddheBharadvaja's son, how, in battle; Bharadvaja's son, how, in combat
युयुधानः अभ्यवारयत्yuyudhānaḥ abhyavārayatYuyudhana held back; Yuyudhana [Satyaki] withheld
संजय आचक्ष्व तत्त्वेनsaṃjaya ācakṣva tattvenaSanjaya, tell truly; Sanjaya, recount faithfully
परम् कौतूहलम् हि मेparam kautūhalam hi megreat indeed is my curiosity; for great is my curiosity
Translation
"How did Yuyudhana [Satyaki] hold back Bharadvaja's son [Drona] in battle? Sanjaya, tell me truly, for great is my curiosity."
Version
7b36b8c6ca61 · published Jul 19, 2026, 4:02:23 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The blind king longs to know how one warrior stood against the formidable teacher: he is drawn by the sight of valor. It is telling that curiosity about a feat of arms lives even in one whose heart is bound to his sons' unjust cause. The verse teaches that greatness of spirit draws every eye, and even one implicated in wrong marvels involuntarily at valor -- but to marvel at another's courage is not yet to choose the righteous path.