Mahabharata · 7.168.39
॥
Devanāgarī
नानृतः पाण्डवो ज्येष्ठो नाहं वाधार्मिको ऽर्जुन ॥
शिष्यध्रुङ् निहतः पापो युध्यस्व विजयस् तव ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
nānṛtaḥ pāṇḍavo jyeṣṭho nāhaṃ vādhārmiko 'rjuna ||
śiṣyadhruṅ nihataḥ pāpo yudhyasva vijayas tava ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
न अनृतः पाण्डवः ज्येष्ठःna anṛtaḥ pāṇḍavaḥ jyeṣṭhaḥnot false is the eldest Pandava; not false is the eldest Pandava
न अहम् वा अधार्मिकः अर्जुनna aham vā adhārmikaḥ arjunanor am I unrighteous, Arjuna; nor am I unrighteous, Arjuna
शिष्यध्रुक् निहतः पापःśiṣyadhruk nihataḥ pāpaḥthe sinner treacherous to his pupil is slain; the sinner faithless to his pupil is struck down
युध्यस्व विजयः तवyudhyasva vijayaḥ tavafight, victory is yours; fight, victory is yours
Translation
"The eldest Pandava [Yudhishthira] is not false, nor am I unrighteous, Arjuna; the sinner who betrayed his pupil is slain -- fight, victory is yours."
Version
7ab1933000f0 · published Jul 19, 2026, 5:08:17 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Dhrishtadyumna concludes the dispute with a firm refusal to admit guilt -- for himself and for Yudhishthira -- and calls Arjuna to battle. Tellingly, the debate over dharma breaks off not in resolution but in a summons to action: argument yields to deed. This verse shows that not every dispute over righteousness finds agreement; and when conscience and self-justification remain irreconcilable, nothing is left but to press on along the path chosen -- yet the unresolved question of dharma does not vanish, it is only deferred, to rise again in the hour of reckoning.