Mahabharata · 7.165.123–124
॥
Devanāgarī
तथापि वार्यमाणेन कौरवैर् अर्जुनेन च ॥
हत एव नृशंसेन पिता तव नरर्षभ ॥
सैनिकाश् च ततः सर्वे प्राद्रवन्त भयार्दिताः ॥
वयं चापि निरुत्साहा हते पितरि ते ऽनघ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
tathāpi vāryamāṇena kauravair arjunena ca ||
hata eva nṛśaṃsena pitā tava nararṣabha ||
sainikāś ca tataḥ sarve prādravanta bhayārditāḥ ||
vayaṃ cāpi nirutsāhā hate pitari te 'nagha ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
तथा अपि वार्यमाणेनtathā api vāryamāṇenanevertheless, [though] restrained; and yet, [though] held back
कौरवैः अर्जुनेन चkauravaiḥ arjunena caby the Kauravas and by Arjuna; by the Kauravas and by Arjuna
हतः एव नृशंसेनhataḥ eva nṛśaṃsenawas slain nonetheless by the cruel one; was struck down nonetheless by the fierce one
पिता तव नरर्षभpitā tava nararṣabhayour father, O bull among men; your father, O bull among men
सैनिकाः च ततः सर्वेsainikāḥ ca tataḥ sarveand then all the soldiers; and then all the warriors
प्राद्रवन्त भयार्दिताःprādravanta bhayārditāḥfled, tormented by fear; ran, oppressed by fear
वयम् च अपि निरुत्साहाःvayam ca api nirutsāhāḥand we too lost heart; and we too were left without the will [to fight]
हते पितरि ते अनघhate pitari te anaghawhen your father was slain, O sinless one; upon the death of your father, O sinless one
Translation
"Nevertheless, though restrained by the Kauravas and by Arjuna, your father was slain by the cruel one [Dhrishtadyumna] all the same, O bull among men. And then all the soldiers fled, tormented by fear; and we too lost heart when your father was slain, O sinless one."
Version
8cf538636e4a · published Jul 19, 2026, 5:08:17 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Kripa closes the account with a sorrowful summary: the father slain "by the cruel one," the army in flight, and even the teachers themselves stripped of will. It is telling that the epithet nrishamsa -- cruel -- falls upon Dhrishtadyumna, while ahead lies Ashvatthaman's role as avenger: the circle of violence does not close but breeds anew. The verse teaches that an unrighteous death sows the seed of fresh fury; and the retelling of grief to the fallen man's son does not console but inflames -- so does strife feed upon itself.