Mahabharata · 7.171.68–69
॥
Devanāgarī
तान् प्रभग्नांस् तथा द्रौणिः पृष्ठतो विकिरञ् शरैः ॥
अभ्यवर्तत वेगेन कालवत् पाण्डुवाहिनीम् ॥
ते वध्यमानाः समरे द्रोणपुत्रेण क्षत्रियाः ॥
द्रोणपुत्रं भयाद् राजन् दिक्षु सर्वासु मेनिरे ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
tān prabhagnāṃs tathā drauṇiḥ pṛṣṭhato vikirañ śaraiḥ ||
abhyavartata vegena kālavat pāṇḍuvāhinīm ||
te vadhyamānāḥ samare droṇaputreṇa kṣatriyāḥ ||
droṇaputraṃ bhayād rājan dikṣu sarvāsu menire ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
तान् प्रभग्नान् तथा द्रौणिःtān prabhagnān tathā drauṇiḥthose broken ones, thus Draoni; those broken ones, thus Draoni
पृष्ठतः विकिरन् शरैःpṛṣṭhataḥ vikiran śaraiḥscattering arrows from behind; raining arrows from behind
अभ्यवर्तत वेगेनabhyavartata vegenapursued swiftly; overtook swiftly
कालवत् पाण्डुवाहिनीम्kālavat pāṇḍuvāhinīmlike Kala, the army of the Pandu; like Time, the host of the Pandu
ते वध्यमानाः समरेte vadhyamānāḥ samarethey, being slaughtered in battle; they, being struck down in combat
द्रोणपुत्रेण क्षत्रियाःdroṇaputreṇa kṣatriyāḥby the son of Drona, the kshatriyas; by the son of Drona, the kshatriyas
द्रोणपुत्रम् भयात् राजन्droṇaputram bhayāt rājanthe son of Drona, out of fear, O king; the son of Drona, out of fear, O king
दिक्षु सर्वासु मेनिरेdikṣu sarvāsu menireimagined [saw] in every direction; imagined [him] in every direction
Translation
Thus Draoni, scattering arrows from behind at those broken men, pursued the army of the Pandavas swiftly, like Kala. They, the kshatriyas being slaughtered in battle by the son of Drona, O king, out of fear imagined the son of Drona in every direction.
Version
b16bf38b42da · published Jul 19, 2026, 5:12:46 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The chapter closes with an image of all-pervading fear: to the fleeing men, Ashvatthaman seems to be everywhere at once. It is telling that terror multiplies the enemy, turning one man into a host. The verse teaches that fear distorts sight, conjuring phantom threats where none exist; the inwardly defeated see the enemy on every side -- for defeat is accomplished first in the soul, and only afterward on the field, and whoever overcomes fear would overcome even the one who instills it.