Mahabharata 7.161.82 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 161, Shloka 82
अजिशीर्षे प्रातःसंध्यायां संग्रामवर्णनम् / Dawn-Transition Battle at Ajiśīrṣa
Chapter 161
दुर्लभ जीवितं मन्ये कौरव्यस्य किरीटिना । युध्यमानस्य पार्थेन शार्दूलेनेव हस्तिन:
durlabhaṃ jīvitaṃ manye kauravyasya kirīṭinā | yudhyamānasya pārthena śārdūleneva hastinaḥ ||
আমি কৌরবপুত্র দুর্যোধনের জীবনকে দুর্লভই মনে করি; কারণ মুকুটধারী পার্থ অর্জুনের সঙ্গে যুদ্ধে প্রবৃত্ত হলে তার বাঁচা তেমনি অসম্ভব, যেমন ব্যাঘ্রের সঙ্গে লড়াই করা হাতির।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the ethical and practical reality of war: when a combatant confronts a vastly superior warrior, mere pride or obstinacy cannot secure survival. It hints at the consequences of adharma-driven choices—Duryodhana’s peril is framed as the natural outcome of entering combat against Arjuna’s proven prowess.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra his assessment of the battlefield situation: if Duryodhana truly engages Arjuna in direct combat, Duryodhana’s life is in grave danger. He illustrates this with a vivid simile—an elephant’s chances against a tiger.
Ask anything about this verse
Curious about the meaning, context, or a word? Ask, and continue the conversation in the Vedapath app.
A free Google sign-in keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Mahabharata in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with audio, word-by-word meanings, and more.