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Mahabharata · 7.88.25–26
॥
Дрона
Devanāgarī
तवाचार्यो रणं हित्वा गतः कापुरुषो यथा ॥
युध्यमानं हि मां हित्वा प्रदक्षिणम् अवर्तत ॥
त्वं हि मे युध्यतो नाद्य जीवन् मोक्ष्यसि माधव ॥
यदि मां त्वं रणे हित्वा न यास्य् आचार्यवद् द्रुतम् ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
tavācāryo raṇaṃ hitvā gataḥ kāpuruṣo yathā ||
yudhyamānaṃ hi māṃ hitvā pradakṣiṇam avartata ||
tvaṃ hi me yudhyato nādya jīvan mokṣyasi mādhava ||
yadi māṃ tvaṃ raṇe hitvā na yāsy ācāryavad drutam ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
तव आचार्यः रणम् हित्वाtava ācāryaḥ raṇam hitvāyour teacher, leaving the battle; your teacher [Arjuna], having left the fight
गतः कापुरुषः यथाgataḥ kāpuruṣaḥ yathāwent, like a coward; went off, as though craven
युध्यमानम् हि माम् हित्वाyudhyamānam hi mām hitvāfor me, fighting; for indeed me, as I fought
प्रदक्षिणम् अवर्ततpradakṣiṇam avartatawent around [me]; went around [me]
त्वम् हि मे युध्यतःtvam hi me yudhyataḥyou indeed [from] me, fighting; you indeed from me, as I fight
न अद्य जीवन् मोक्ष्यसिna adya jīvan mokṣyasishall not today escape alive; shall not today get away alive
माधवmādhavaO Madhava; O Madhava
यदि माम् त्वम् रणे हित्वाyadi mām tvam raṇe hitvāif me you, leaving the battle; if, having left me in battle
न यासि आचार्यवत् द्रुतम्na yāsi ācāryavat drutamdo not go quickly, like [your] teacher; do not go off swiftly, like [your] teacher
Translation
"Your teacher [Arjuna], leaving the battle, went off like a coward: for while I was fighting, he went around me. But you shall not today escape from me alive, O Madhava, unless, leaving me in battle, you go off swiftly, as [your] teacher did."
Version
621172fc0674 · published Jul 19, 2026, 4:02:23 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Drona taunts, calling Arjuna's going-around cowardice -- "gataḥ kāpuruṣo yathā". But Arjuna went around him not from fear but for a higher purpose -- the vow concerning Jayadratha; at times turning aside from a private duel is wisdom, not faintheartedness. It is telling that wounded pride in a teacher sees cowardice where there was discernment. The verse teaches that not every detour is flight: the wise pass by the secondary for the sake of the essential, and one who accuses them of cowardice is often blinded by his own bruised self-regard.