Mahābhārata · 7.20.17–18
॥
Devanāgarī
तस्मिन् हते महामात्रे पाञ्चालानां रथर्षभे ॥
अपायाज् जवनैर् अश्वैर् द्रोणात् त्रस्तो युधिष्ठिरः ॥
पाञ्चालाः केकया मत्स्याश् चेदिकारूषकोसलाः ॥
युधिष्ठिरम् उदीक्षन्तो हृष्टा द्रोणम् उपाद्रवन् ॥
Transliteración (IAST)
tasmin hate mahāmātre pāñcālānāṃ ratharṣabhe ||
apāyāj javanair aśvair droṇāt trasto yudhiṣṭhiraḥ ||
pāñcālāḥ kekayā matsyāś cedikārūṣakosalāḥ ||
yudhiṣṭhiram udīkṣanto hṛṣṭā droṇam upādravan ||
Palabra por palabra
SánscritoIASTSignificado
तस्मिन्tasmin[when] he; [when] he
हतेhate[was] slain [fell]; fell
महामात्रेmahāmātrethe great commander [mighty chieftain]; [that] mighty chieftain
पाञ्चालानाम्pāñcālānāmof the Panchalas; [among] the Panchalas
रथर्षभेratharṣabhea bull among car-warriors [foremost warrior]; foremost of car-warriors
अपायात्apāyātwithdrew [fled]; retreated
जवनैः अश्वैःjavanaiḥ aśvaiḥwith swift horses; [on] swift horses
द्रोणात्droṇātfrom Drona; [away] from Drona
त्रस्तःtrastaḥterrified; in fear
युधिष्ठिरःyudhiṣṭhiraḥYudhishthira
पाञ्चालाःpāñcālāḥthe Panchalas; the Panchalas
केकयाःkekayāḥthe Kekayas; the Kekayas
मत्स्याःmatsyāḥthe Matsyas; the Matsyas
चेदिकारूषकोसलाःcedikārūṣakosalāḥthe Chedis, Karushas and Kosalas; the Chedis, Karushas and Kosalas
युधिष्ठिरम्yudhiṣṭhiram[toward] Yudhishthira; [watching] over Yudhishthira
उदीक्षन्तःudīkṣantaḥwatching [keeping an eye on]; keeping watch over
हृष्टाःhṛṣṭāḥexultant [joyful]; [in] exultation
द्रोणम्droṇam[at] Drona; Drona
उपाद्रवन्upādravanrushed [charged]; charged [at]
Traducción
When that mighty chieftain, foremost of car-warriors among the Panchalas, had fallen, Yudhishthira retreated from Drona in fear, upon his swift horses. And the Panchalas, Kekayas, Matsyas, Chedis, Karushas, and Kosalas, keeping watch over Yudhishthira, charged at Drona in exultation.
Versión
bbd41cc88e90 · publicado 19 jul 2026, 15:00:04 UTC
Disponible enRUENPasa de verso en verso con
With the death of his protector, Yudhishthira retreats "in fear" — and the telling does not conceal this. But the retreat of the King of Dharma before the unconquerable Drona is not faintheartedness: to preserve oneself when one's shield has fallen, and not to be given over to capture, is itself the duty of a sovereign on whose freedom the whole cause depends. It is notable that the peoples immediately close ranks around him, "keeping watch over the king" — many take the place of the fallen guardian. The verse teaches that a prudent retreat before superior force is no disgrace when it preserves one who is needed alive; that care for the sovereign passes, like a banner, from the fallen to the living; and that in a strong army a threat to the leader does not scatter but unites — in place of one protector rises an entire host.