Mahabharata 7.86.12–14

Jayadratha-vadha-parva (Sātyaki's Departure)7.86.12–14

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Mahabharata · 7.86.12–14

॥

Devanāgarī

त्वयि वाहं महाबाहो प्रद्युम्ने वा महारथे ॥
नृपं निक्षिप्य गच्छेयं निरपेक्षो जयद्रथम् ॥
जानीषे हि रणे द्रोणं रभसं श्रेष्ठसंमतम् ॥
प्रतिज्ञा चापि ते नित्यं श्रुता द्रोणस्य माधव ॥
ग्रहणं धर्मराजस्य भारद्वाजो ऽनुगृध्यति ॥
शक्तश् चापि रणे द्रोणो निगृहीतुं युधिष्ठिरम् ॥

Transliteration (IAST)

tvayi vāhaṃ mahābāho pradyumne vā mahārathe ||
nṛpaṃ nikṣipya gaccheyaṃ nirapekṣo jayadratham ||
jānīṣe hi raṇe droṇaṃ rabhasaṃ śreṣṭhasaṃmatam ||
pratijñā cāpi te nityaṃ śrutā droṇasya mādhava ||
grahaṇaṃ dharmarājasya bhāradvājo 'nugṛdhyati ||
śaktaś cāpi raṇe droṇo nigṛhītuṃ yudhiṣṭhiram ||

Word-by-word

SanskritIASTMeaning

त्वयि वा अहम् महाबाहोtvayi vā aham mahābāhowhether on you, O mighty-armed; on you, O mighty-armed

प्रद्युम्ने वा महारथेpradyumne vā mahāratheor on Pradyumna, the great warrior; or on Pradyumna, the mighty chariot-warrior

नृपम् निक्षिप्य गच्छेयम्nṛpam nikṣipya gaccheyamhaving entrusted the king, I could go; having left the king in trust, I could go

निरपेक्षः जयद्रथम्nirapekṣaḥ jayadrathamuntroubled, [against] Jayadratha; unconcerned, [against] Jayadratha

जानीषे हि रणे द्रोणम्jānīṣe hi raṇe droṇamyou know indeed Drona in battle; for you know Drona in battle

रभसम् श्रेष्ठसंमतम्rabhasam śreṣṭhasaṃmatamimpetuous, esteemed as the best; fierce, honored as foremost

प्रतिज्ञा च अपि ते नित्यम्pratijñā ca api te nityamand the vow also to you always; and his vow, too, to you always

श्रुता द्रोणस्य माधवśrutā droṇasya mādhavais heard, of Drona, O Madhava; is known, [the vow] of Drona, O Madhava

ग्रहणम् धर्मराजस्यgrahaṇam dharmarājasyathe capture of the Dharma King; the capture of the King of Righteousness

भारद्वाजः अनुगृध्यतिbhāradvājaḥ anugṛdhyatithe son of Bharadvaja covets; the son of Bharadvaja [ardently] desires

शक्तः च अपि रणे द्रोणःśaktaḥ ca api raṇe droṇaḥand capable also in battle is Drona; and able in the fight is Drona

निगृहीतुम् युधिष्ठिरम्nigṛhītum yudhiṣṭhiramto seize Yudhishthira; to capture Yudhishthira

Translation

'Having entrusted the king to you, O mighty-armed one, or to the great warrior Pradyumna, I could go against Jayadratha untroubled. For you know Drona in battle, impetuous, honored as the best; and Drona's vow is always known to you, O Madhava: the son of Bharadvaja covets the capture of the Dharma King, and Drona is able in battle to seize Yudhishthira.'

Commentary

Here the knot is laid bare: Arjuna entrusted the king's protection to only two — Satyaki or Pradyumna — since 'grahaṇaṃ dharmarājasya bhāradvājo 'nugṛdhyati', Drona covets the capture of Yudhishthira. It is significant that both charges — to protect the king and to save Arjuna — fall on the same shoulders. The verse teaches that the faithful one often faces a clash of two sacred duties; and then it is not his willingness that is tested but his discernment — how to serve both without betraying either.

Version

9673e79acefa · published Jul 19, 2026, 4:02:23 PM UTC

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