Mahabharata 7.113.41 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 113, Shloka 41

Adhyāya 113: Karṇa–Bhīma Śaravarṣa and the Battlefield Aftermath (कर्णभीमशरवर्षः)

Devanagari script

युधिष्ठिर बोले--महाबाहु माधव! तुम जैसा कहते हो, वही ठीक है। आर्य! श्वेतवाहन द्रोणाचार्यकी ओरसे मेरा हृदय शुद्ध (निश्चिन्त) नहीं हो रहा है ।।

Transliteration

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca—mahābāhu mādhava! tvaṃ yathā vadasi tathaiva tat. ārya! śvetavāhana-droṇācārya-kṛte mama hṛdayaṃ na śuddhaṃ (niśchintaṃ) bhavati. kariṣye paramaṃ yatnam ātmano rakṣaṇe hāham | gaccha tvaṃ samanugñāto yatra yāto dhanaṃjayaḥ ||

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira disse: “Mādhava de braços poderosos, o que dizes é de fato correto. Contudo, nobre, por causa de Droṇa, o mestre do carro branco, meu coração não se torna claro nem livre de inquietação. Empregarei o máximo esforço para minha própria proteção. Vai agora, com minha permissão, ao lugar para onde foi Dhanañjaya (Arjuna).”

Word by Word

• {'yudhiṣṭhira uvāca': 'Yudhiṣṭhira said', 'mahābāhu': 'mighty-armed

• a heroic epithet', 'mādhava': 'Kṛṣṇa

• descendant of Madhu', 'yathā ... tathā': 'as ... so

• exactly as stated', 'ārya': 'noble one

• honorable person', 'śvetavāhana': 'having a white vehicle/chariot

• epithet (here of Droṇa)', 'droṇācārya': 'Droṇa, the preceptor/teacher', 'kṛte': 'because of

• on account of', 'hṛdayam': 'heart

• inner mind', 'na śuddham': 'not purified/clear

• not settled', 'niśchintam': 'free from worry

• untroubled', 'kariṣye': 'I shall do

• I will undertake', 'paramam yatnam': 'the highest/utmost effort', 'ātmano rakṣaṇe': 'for the protection of myself', 'hā aham': 'alas, I

• an exclamation of distress', 'gaccha': 'go', 'samanugñātaḥ': 'permitted/authorized (by me)', 'yatra': 'where', 'yātaḥ': 'has gone', 'dhanaṃjayaḥ': 'Arjuna

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Mādhava (Kṛṣṇa)
• Droṇācārya (Droṇa)
• Dhanaṃjaya (Arjuna)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even when counsel is sound, a leader must acknowledge inner uncertainty and respond with responsible action—here, Yudhiṣṭhira admits his unease about Droṇa and commits to maximum self-protection while coordinating with allies through Kṛṣṇa.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the midst of the Droṇa-led battle, Yudhiṣṭhira speaks to Kṛṣṇa: he accepts Kṛṣṇa’s advice but remains worried about Droṇa’s threat, resolves to guard himself carefully, and authorizes Kṛṣṇa to go to the location where Arjuna has proceeded.