Mahabharata · 7.103.48–49
॥
Devanāgarī
कच्चिद् भीष्मेण नो वैरम् एकेनैव प्रशाम्यति ॥
शेषस्य रक्षणार्थं च संधास्यति सुयोधनः ॥
एवं बहुविधं तस्य चिन्तयानस्य पार्थिव ॥
कृपयाभिपरीतस्य घोरं युद्धम् अवर्तत ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
kaccid bhīṣmeṇa no vairam ekenaiva praśāmyati ||
śeṣasya rakṣaṇārthaṃ ca saṃdhāsyati suyodhanaḥ ||
evaṃ bahuvidhaṃ tasya cintayānasya pārthiva ||
kṛpayābhiparītasya ghoraṃ yuddham avartata ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
कच्चित् भीष्मेण नः वैरम्kaccit bhīṣmeṇa naḥ vairamis it that, through Bhishma, our feud; is it that, through Bhishma alone, our feud
एकेन एव प्रशाम्यतिekena eva praśāmyatiwill subside through him alone; will he alone quell it
शेषस्य रक्षणार्थम् चśeṣasya rakṣaṇārtham caand for the sake of protecting the rest; and in order to spare those who survive
संधास्यति सुयोधनःsaṃdhāsyati suyodhanaḥwill Suyodhana make peace; will Suyodhana make peace
एवम् बहुविधम् तस्यevam bahuvidham tasyathus in many ways; thus in various ways
चिन्तयानस्य पार्थिवcintayānasya pārthivaas he pondered, O lord; as he was pondering, O lord
कृपया अभिपरीतस्यkṛpayā abhiparītasyaovercome by compassion; seized by compassion
घोरम् युद्धम् अवर्ततghoram yuddham avartatathe dreadful battle went on; meanwhile the dreadful battle raged
Translation
"Will our feud, through Bhishma alone, now fallen, subside, and will Suyodhana make peace for the sake of protecting those who remain?" Thus, as he pondered in many ways, O lord, overcome by compassion, the dreadful battle meanwhile raged on.
Version
dc315bbaf385 · published Jul 19, 2026, 4:17:33 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The crown of his reflections is "kṛpayā abhiparītasya," overcome by compassion: Yudhishthira is troubled not by malice but by pity, hoping that enough blood has already been shed for reconciliation. It is telling that the King of Dharma keeps a merciful heart even in the midst of battle. The verse teaches that the righteous man carries compassion within him even on the battlefield: he fights not out of hatred but out of duty, and his heart longs for peace to the very end -- for mercy never leaves the truly good, even in the thick of war.