Mahabharata 7.161.85 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 161, Shloka 85

अजिशीर्षे प्रातःसंध्यायां संग्रामवर्णनम् / Dawn-Transition Battle at Ajiśīrṣa

Chapter 161

Devanagari script

नहि ते सम्भ्रम: कार्य: पार्थस्य विजयं प्रति । अहमावारयिष्यामि पार्थ तिष्ठ सुयोधन

Transliteration

nahi te sambhramaḥ kāryaḥ pārthasya vijayaṃ prati | aham āvārayiṣyāmi pārtha tiṣṭha suyodhana ||

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: „Lass in dir keinen Zweifel und keine Unruhe aufkommen hinsichtlich des Sieges über Pārtha (Arjuna). Steh fest, Suyodhana; ich werde Pārtha aufhalten.“

Word by Word

• नहि: not / indeed not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नहि

• ते: of you / your
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: त्वद्
• Form: any, Genitive, Singular

• सम्भ्रमः: confusion, doubt, agitation
• सम्भ्रमः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम्भ्रम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कार्यः: to be done / to be made (i.e., should be)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कार्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पार्थस्य: of Partha (Arjuna)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• विजयम्: victory
• विजयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विजय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रति: towards / regarding
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: any, Nominative, Singular

• आवारयिष्यामि: I will restrain / ward off / stop
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वृ (वारयति)
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), 1st, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पार्थ: O Partha (Arjuna)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• तिष्ठ: stand / stay
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्था
• Form: Imperative (Loṭ), 2nd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सुयोधन: O Suyodhana (Duryodhana)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुयोधन
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Partha (Arjuna)
• Suyodhana (Duryodhana)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how, in crisis, leaders and allies attempt to manage fear and uncertainty through decisive speech—urging steadiness (tiṣṭha) and suppressing doubt (sambhrama). Ethically, it also shows how reassurance can serve strategic ends even when the larger cause is morally fraught.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya addresses Suyodhana (Duryodhana), telling him not to doubt success against Arjuna and urging him to stand firm, while declaring that he himself will restrain Arjuna. It is a moment of battlefield encouragement and tactical resolve directed at the Kaurava leader.