Mahabharata · 7.167.7–8
॥
Devanāgarī
धृतराष्ट्र उवाच
निवर्तितेषु सैन्येषु द्रोणपुत्रेण संयुगे ॥
भृशं शोकाभितप्तेन पितुर् वधम् अमृष्यता ॥
कुरून् आपततो दृष्ट्वा धृष्टद्युम्नस्य रक्षणे ॥
को मन्त्रः पाण्डवेष्व् आसीत् तन् ममाचक्ष्व संजय ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca
nivartiteṣu sainyeṣu droṇaputreṇa saṃyuge ||
bhṛśaṃ śokābhitaptena pitur vadham amṛṣyatā ||
kurūn āpatato dṛṣṭvā dhṛṣṭadyumnasya rakṣaṇe ||
ko mantraḥ pāṇḍaveṣv āsīt tan mamācakṣva saṃjaya ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
निवर्तितेषु सैन्येषुnivartiteṣu sainyeṣuwhen the armies were turned back; when the ranks were turned to [face] battle
द्रोणपुत्रेण संयुगेdroṇaputreṇa saṃyugeby the son of Drona in the fight; by the son of Drona in the combat
भृशम् शोकाभितप्तेनbhṛśam śokābhitaptenagreatly scorched by grief; deeply scorched by grief
पितुः वधम् अमृष्यताpituḥ vadham amṛṣyatāunable to bear the slaying of his father; unable to endure the death of his father
कुरून् आपततः दृष्ट्वाkurūn āpatataḥ dṛṣṭvāseeing the Kurus attacking; beholding the Kurus advancing
धृष्टद्युम्नस्य रक्षणेdhṛṣṭadyumnasya rakṣaṇefor the protection of Dhrishtadyumna; for the defense of Dhrishtadyumna
कः मन्त्रः पाण्डवेषु आसीत्kaḥ mantraḥ pāṇḍaveṣu āsītwhat counsel was there among the Pandavas; what design was there among the Pandavas
तत् मम आचक्ष्व संजयtat mama ācakṣva saṃjayathat tell me, Sanjaya; that tell me, Sanjaya
Translation
When the armies were turned back to battle by the son of Drona, deeply scorched by grief, unable to bear his father's death, upon seeing the Kurus attacking for the protection of Dhrishtadyumna — what counsel did the Pandavas have? Tell me that, Sanjaya.
Version
efd743878017 · published Jul 19, 2026, 5:08:17 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Dhritarashtra asks about the Pandavas' counsel: what occupies him now is not the battle but the enemy's plan before the storm. It is significant that the blind king, the persecutor of the Pandavas, anxiously watches their thinking — for he senses that deliverance from the Narayana weapon will be won not by force but by wisdom. The verse teaches that before the unconquerable, it is counsel, not arms, that decides; and one who knows how to gather himself in time for reflection finds a way out where strength is powerless.