Mahabharata 7.196.8 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 196, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

रामस्य तु सम: शस्त्रे पुरंदरसमो युधि । कार्तवीर्यसमो वीर्ये बृहस्पतिसमो मतौ

Transliteration

rāmasya tu samaḥ śastre purandarasamo yudhi | kārtavīryasamo vīrye bṛhaspatisamo matau ||

Translation

ଧୃତରାଷ୍ଟ୍ର କହିଲେ—ଅଶ୍ୱତ୍ଥାମା ଶସ୍ତ୍ରବିଦ୍ୟାରେ ପରଶୁରାମ ସମ, ଯୁଦ୍ଧରେ ପୁରନ୍ଦର (ଇନ୍ଦ୍ର) ସମ, ବଳ-ବୀର୍ୟରେ କାର୍ତ୍ତବୀର୍ୟ ସମ ଏବଂ ବୁଦ୍ଧିରେ ବୃହସ୍ପତି ସମ।

Word by Word

• रामस्य: of Rama
• रामस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• समः: equal (to)
• समः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शस्त्रे: in weapons/weaponry
• शस्त्रे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शस्त्र
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• पुरंदरसमः: equal to Purandara (Indra)
• पुरंदरसमः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुरंदर-सम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• युधि: in battle
• युधि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युध्
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• कार्तवीर्यसमः: equal to Kartavirya
• कार्तवीर्यसमः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कार्तवीर्य-सम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वीर्ये: in valor/strength
• वीर्ये: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर्य
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• बृहस्पतिसमः: equal to Brihaspati
• बृहस्पतिसमः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बृहस्पति-सम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मतौ: in intellect/counsel
• मतौ: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मति
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

Speaker

धृतराष्ट उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Rāma (Paraśurāma)
• Purandara (Indra)
• Kārtavīrya (Arjuna Kārtavīrya)
• Bṛhaspati
• Aśvatthāmā

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights that extraordinary skill and strength are morally weighty: when a warrior’s power approaches the archetypal standards of gods and legendary heroes, the consequences of how that power is used become correspondingly grave—especially in a dharma-fractured war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛtarāṣṭra is hearing about the battlefield situation and describes Aśvatthāmā’s formidable qualities through a chain of exalted comparisons (Paraśurāma, Indra, Kārtavīrya, Bṛhaspati), emphasizing why he is a decisive and fearsome figure in the Drona Parva conflict.