सत्यस्य च महाबाहो अनुकम्पार्थम् एव च ॥
अनुरूपं महेष्वास कर्म त्वं कर्तुम् अर्हसि ॥
सोयोधनो हि सहसा गतो द्रोणेन दंशितः ॥
पूर्वम् एव तु यातास् ते कौरवाणां महारथाः ॥
सुमहान् निनदश् चैव श्रूयते विजयं प्रति ॥
स शैनेय जवेनात्र गन्तुम् अर्हसि माधव ॥
भीमसेनो वयं चैव संयत्ताः सहसैनिकाः ॥
द्रोणम् आवारयिष्यामो यदि त्वां प्रति यास्यति ॥
satyasya ca mahābāho anukampārtham eva ca ||
anurūpaṃ maheṣvāsa karma tvaṃ kartum arhasi ||
soyodhano hi sahasā gato droṇena daṃśitaḥ ||
pūrvam eva tu yātās te kauravāṇāṃ mahārathāḥ ||
sumahān ninadaś caiva śrūyate vijayaṃ prati ||
sa śaineya javenātra gantum arhasi mādhava ||
bhīmaseno vayaṃ caiva saṃyattāḥ sahasainikāḥ ||
droṇam āvārayiṣyāmo yadi tvāṃ prati yāsyati ||
"...and for the sake of truth, O mighty-armed one, and for the sake of compassion — you must perform the fitting deed, O great archer. For Suyodhana has suddenly set out, armored by Drona, and the great warriors of the Kauravas had already gone before; and an exceedingly great roar is heard in the direction of Vijaya [Arjuna]. You, O descendant of Shini, must go there with all speed, O Madhava. Bhimasena and we ourselves, having made ready with our warriors, will hold Drona back should he move against you."
ca4feb8c7579 · published Jul 19, 2026, 4:02:23 PM UTC
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The appeal is crowned with two supreme motives — satya and anukampā, truth and compassion: the deed to which he is called is justified not by gain but by truth and mercy. Yudhishthira takes upon himself the hardest task — to hold back Drona — while sending his friend to Arjuna. It is telling that he himself steps into the path of the blow, so as to open the way to his brother's rescue. The verse teaches that true love takes upon itself the greater danger in order to deliver the one who is dear; the leader who sends another to give help himself shields him from the storm.