Mahabharata · 7.165.81–82
॥
Devanāgarī
दर्शनीयो युवा चैव शौर्ये च कृतलक्षणः ॥
दुःशासनो भृशोद्विग्नः प्राद्रवद् गजसंवृतः ॥
गजाश्वरथसंयुक्तो वृतश् चैव पदातिभिः ॥
दुर्योधनो महाराज प्रायात् तत्र महारथः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
darśanīyo yuvā caiva śaurye ca kṛtalakṣaṇaḥ ||
duḥśāsano bhṛśodvignaḥ prādravad gajasaṃvṛtaḥ ||
gajāśvarathasaṃyukto vṛtaś caiva padātibhiḥ ||
duryodhano mahārāja prāyāt tatra mahārathaḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
दर्शनीयः युवा च एवdarśanīyaḥ yuvā ca evahandsome and young; comely and young
शौर्ये च कृतलक्षणःśaurye ca kṛtalakṣaṇaḥand marked by valor; and renowned in bravery
दुःशासनः भृशोद्विग्नःduḥśāsanaḥ bhṛśodvignaḥDuhshasana, deeply troubled; Duhshasana, profoundly disturbed
प्राद्रवत् गजसंवृतःprādravat gajasaṃvṛtaḥfled, encircled by elephants; ran, surrounded by elephants
गजाश्वरथसंयुक्तःgajāśvarathasaṃyuktaḥjoined with elephants, horses, chariots; with elephants, horses, chariots
वृतः च एव पदातिभिःvṛtaḥ ca eva padātibhiḥsurrounded also by foot soldiers; encircled also by infantry
दुर्योधनः महाराजduryodhanaḥ mahārājaDuryodhana, O great king; Duryodhana, O great king
प्रायात् तत्र महारथःprāyāt tatra mahārathaḥwithdrew there, the great chariot-warrior; retreated there, the mighty warrior
Translation
Handsome and young, and marked by valor, Duhshasana, deeply troubled, fled, encircled by elephants. Joined with elephants, horses, chariots, surrounded also by foot soldiers, Duryodhana, O great king, withdrew there, the great chariot-warrior.
Version
91e75d8793fa · published Jul 19, 2026, 5:08:17 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Both Duhshasana and Duryodhana himself flee -- the very men whose stubbornness unleashed this war. It is telling that "handsome, young, valiant" retreats in confusion: neither youth nor courage holds firm where the spirit is broken. The verse teaches that outward merits -- bearing, years, a hero's fame -- without inner support turn to nothing before ruin's face; and one who persisted in wrongdoing is the first to lose his firmness when his shield falls.