Mahabharata · 7.116.35–36
॥
Devanāgarī
व्यतिक्रमम् इमं मन्ये धर्मराजस्य केशव ॥
आचार्याद् भयम् उत्सृज्य यः प्रेषयति सात्यकिम् ॥
ग्रहणं धर्मराजस्य खगः श्येन इवामिषम् ॥
नित्यम् आशंसते द्रोणः कच्चित् स्यात् कुशली नृपः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
vyatikramam imaṃ manye dharmarājasya keśava ||
ācāryād bhayam utsṛjya yaḥ preṣayati sātyakim ||
grahaṇaṃ dharmarājasya khagaḥ śyena ivāmiṣam ||
nityam āśaṃsate droṇaḥ kaccit syāt kuśalī nṛpaḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
व्यतिक्रमम् इमम् मन्येvyatikramam imam manyethis I consider an oversight; this I consider an oversight
धर्मराजस्य केशवdharmarājasya keśavaof the King of Dharma, Keshava; of the King of Dharma, o Keshava
आचार्यात् भयम् उत्सृज्यācāryāt bhayam utsṛjyahaving cast off fear [of the] teacher; having cast off fear of the teacher
यः प्रेषयति सात्यकिम्yaḥ preṣayati sātyakimwho sends Satyaki [away]; in that he sends Satyaki away
ग्रहणम् धर्मराजस्यgrahaṇam dharmarājasyathe seizing of the King of Dharma; the seizing of the King of Dharma
खगः श्येनः इव आमिषम्khagaḥ śyenaḥ iva āmiṣamlike a bird, a hawk, [its] prey; as a bird, a hawk — its prey
नित्यम् आशंसते द्रोणःnityam āśaṃsate droṇaḥconstantly hopes for, Drona; constantly hopes for — Drona
कच्चित् स्यात् कुशली नृपःkaccit syāt kuśalī nṛpaḥwill the king be well; will the king be well
Translation
"This I consider an oversight of the King of Dharma, o Keshava — that, having cast off fear of the teacher [Drona], he sends Satyaki away. The seizing of the King of Dharma, as a hawk its prey, Drona constantly hopes for; is the king well?"
Version
b5a9e718653c · published Jul 19, 2026, 4:25:13 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Arjuna reproaches even the righteous Yudhishthira for a lapse: in dismissing his guard, he forgot that Drona, like a hawk, waits for his prey. It is significant that love for his brother does not keep Arjuna from seeing his fault: sobriety is not set aside by affection. The verse teaches that even the valorous self-sacrifice of one should not strip another of protection; guarding what is entrusted matters more than a brilliant impulse, for the predator ever waits for a moment of carelessness.