युयुधानस् तु तं राजन् प्रत्युवाच हसन्न् इव ॥
कौरवेय न संत्रासो विद्यते मम संयुगे ॥
स मां निहन्यात् संग्रामे यो मां कुर्यान् निरायुधम् ॥
समास् तु शाश्वतीर् हन्याद् यो मां हन्याद् धि संयुगे ॥
किं मृषोक्तेन बहुना कर्मणा तु समाचर ॥
शारदस्येव मेघस्य गर्जितं निष्फलं हि ते ॥
yuyudhānas tu taṃ rājan pratyuvāca hasann iva ||
kauraveya na saṃtrāso vidyate mama saṃyuge ||
sa māṃ nihanyāt saṃgrāme yo māṃ kuryān nirāyudham ||
samās tu śāśvatīr hanyād yo māṃ hanyād dhi saṃyuge ||
kiṃ mṛṣoktena bahunā karmaṇā tu samācara ||
śāradasyeva meghasya garjitaṃ niṣphalaṃ hi te ||
Yuyudhāna, however, O king, replied to him as if laughing: "O Kauraveya, I have no fear in combat. He alone would slay me in battle who could render me weaponless; only he who could truly slay me in combat would have to strike for eternal years [to manage it]. What use is much false speech? Act rather with deeds; for your roar is fruitless, like that of an autumn cloud."
f53fe2b054e5 · published Jul 19, 2026, 4:25:13 PM UTC
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Sātyaki answers not with boasting but with calm contempt for it: "act with deeds, your roar is fruitless." The comparison to the autumn cloud, which thunders but yields no rain, is telling: empty threats are loud and barren. The verse teaches that true strength speaks little and meets bravado with a smile; and one who answers threats with readiness to act, rather than with returning abuse, already shows the superiority of spirit.