Mahabharata 7.155.293 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 155, Shloka 293

Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 155 — Ghaṭotkaca-nidhana-śoka and Karṇa-śakti-vyaya

Kṛṣṇa’s strategic reassurance

Devanagari script

स्वार्थहेतो: पराक्रान्तौ दुर्योधनयुधिष्ठिरी । शत्रुओंका दमन करनेवाले वे दोनों कुरुवंशी वीर दुर्योधन और युधिष्ठिर अपने-अपने स्वार्थके लिये युद्धमें पराक्रम प्रकट करते हुए एक-दूसरेसे भिड़ गये

Transliteration

svārtha-hetoḥ parākrāntau duryodhana-yudhiṣṭhirī | śatrūṇāṃ damana-karṇe vāle te ubhau kuru-vaṃśī vīrau duryodhanaḥ yudhiṣṭhiraś ca sva-sva svārthāya yuddhe parākramaṃ prakaṭayantaḥ parasparaṃ samabhidudruvuḥ

Translation

Sanjaya dijo: Impulsados por su propio interés, Duryodhana y Yudhiṣṭhira—ambos héroes nacidos en la estirpe de los Kuru, domadores de enemigos—mostraron su poderío en el campo de batalla por sus respectivos fines y se cerraron el paso el uno al otro, trabándose en combate directo.

Word by Word

• स्वार्थहेतोः: for the sake of (their) own interest
• स्वार्थहेतोः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वार्थहेतु
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• पराक्रान्तौ: two valiant (ones)
• पराक्रान्तौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पराक्रान्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• दुर्योधनयुधिष्ठिरी: Duryodhana and Yudhiṣṭhira
• दुर्योधनयुधिष्ठिरी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्योधन-युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Duryodhana
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Kuru lineage
• battlefield (yuddha)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how personal interest (svārtha) can become a powerful driver even for celebrated figures, intensifying conflict and testing dharma. It invites reflection on motive: valor in war is not ethically neutral, and intention—duty versus self-serving gain—shapes the moral weight of action.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya reports that Duryodhana and Yudhiṣṭhira, both formidable Kuru warriors, advance toward each other in battle. Each seeks to secure his own objective in the war, and they meet head-on, displaying martial prowess as they engage directly.