Mahabharata · 7.87.74–75
॥
Devanāgarī
तं दृष्ट्वा प्रविविक्षन्तं सैन्यं तव जनाधिप ॥
भूय एवाभवन् मूढं सुभृशं चाप्य् अकम्पत ॥
ततः प्रयातः सहसा सैन्यं तव स सात्यकिः ॥
दिदृक्षुर् अर्जुनं राजन् धर्मराजस्य शासनात् ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
taṃ dṛṣṭvā pravivikṣantaṃ sainyaṃ tava janādhipa ||
bhūya evābhavan mūḍhaṃ subhṛśaṃ cāpy akampata ||
tataḥ prayātaḥ sahasā sainyaṃ tava sa sātyakiḥ ||
didṛkṣur arjunaṃ rājan dharmarājasya śāsanāt ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
तम् दृष्ट्वा प्रविविक्षन्तम्tam dṛṣṭvā pravivikṣantamhaving seen him, [ready] to enter; having seen him, ready to burst in
सैन्यम् तव जनाधिपsainyam tava janādhipainto your army, O lord of men; into your host, O lord of men
भूयः एव अभवत् मूढम्bhūyaḥ eva abhavat mūḍhambecame even more bewildered; became even more confounded
सुभृशम् च अपि अकम्पतsubhṛśam ca api akampataand shuddered exceedingly; and trembled exceedingly
ततः प्रयातः सहसाtataḥ prayātaḥ sahasāthen rushed forth suddenly; then charged swiftly
सैन्यम् तव सः सात्यकिःsainyam tava saḥ sātyakiḥinto your army, that Satyaki; into your host, that Satyaki
दिदृक्षुः अर्जुनम् राजन्didṛkṣuḥ arjunam rājanwishing to see Arjuna, O king; longing to see Arjuna, O king
धर्मराजस्य शासनात्dharmarājasya śāsanātby the command of the King of Dharma; by the order of the King of Righteousness
Translation
Seeing him ready to enter your army, O lord of men, it became even more bewildered and shuddered exceedingly. Then that Satyaki rushed forth suddenly into your army, wishing to see Arjuna, O king, by the command of the King of Dharma.
Version
b79e2187d3a3 · published Jul 19, 2026, 4:02:23 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The mere approach of Satyaki throws the whole army into terror -- "bhūya eva abhavat mūḍham... akampata": the dread of the valiant one precedes the very blow. And what moves him is not willfulness, but "dharmarājasya śāsanāt", the command of the King of Dharma. It is telling that strength consecrated by duty and love strikes fear before it strikes at all. The verse teaches that true valor, moving at the bidding of the righteous, inspires trembling by its mere appearance; and what terrifies is not fury itself, but the resolve of one behind whom stand both duty and love.