नैवेदं मानुषं युद्धं नासुरं न च राक्षसम् ॥
न दैवं न च गान्धर्वं ब्राह्मं ध्रुवम् इदं परम् ॥
विचित्रम् इदम् आश्चर्यं न नो दृष्टं न च श्रुतम् ॥
अति पाण्डवम् आचार्यो द्रोणं चाप्य् अति पाण्डवः ॥
नानयोर् अन्तरं द्रष्टुं शक्यम् अस्त्रेण केन चित् ॥
यदि रुद्रो द्विधाकृत्य युध्येतात्मानम् आत्मना ॥
तत्र शक्योपमा कर्तुम् अन्यत्र तु न विद्यते ॥
ज्ञानम् एकस्थम् आचार्ये ज्ञानं योगश् च पाण्डवे ॥
शौर्यम् एकस्थम् आचार्ये बलं शौर्यं च पाण्डवे ॥
naivedaṃ mānuṣaṃ yuddhaṃ nāsuraṃ na ca rākṣasam ||
na daivaṃ na ca gāndharvaṃ brāhmaṃ dhruvam idaṃ param ||
vicitram idam āścaryaṃ na no dṛṣṭaṃ na ca śrutam ||
ati pāṇḍavam ācāryo droṇaṃ cāpy ati pāṇḍavaḥ ||
nānayor antaraṃ draṣṭuṃ śakyam astreṇa kena cit ||
yadi rudro dvidhākṛtya yudhyetātmānam ātmanā ||
tatra śakyopamā kartum anyatra tu na vidyate ||
jñānam ekastham ācārye jñānaṃ yogaś ca pāṇḍave ||
śauryam ekastham ācārye balaṃ śauryaṃ ca pāṇḍave ||
...joined with praise for Drona and for Partha, the great-souled: 'This is not a human battle, nor one of asuras, nor of rakshasas, nor of gods, nor of gandharvas; surely, this is the supreme brahma-battle. Wondrous is this marvel, never before seen by us, nor even heard of. The teacher surpasses the Pandava, and the Pandava surpasses the teacher; no weapon can reveal any difference between them. Knowledge is concentrated in the teacher; knowledge and yoga are in the Pandava. Valor is concentrated in the teacher; strength and valor are in the Pandava.'
eea18ba44551 · published Jul 19, 2026, 5:08:17 PM UTC
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The celestials cannot tell which is greater -- teacher or pupil: their art is equally supreme, 'the highest brahma-battle.' It is telling how finely the distinction is drawn: in the teacher there is knowledge and valor; in the pupil these same gifts are joined by yoga and strength. The verse teaches that the pupil, having absorbed his teacher's gift, adds to it something of his own; perfection is not passed down as a frozen inheritance but grows within the one who receives it -- so that to surpass one's teacher is a fulfillment, not a betrayal, of discipleship.