Mahabharata 7.97.43 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 97, Shloka 43

शैनेयचरितम्

The Exploits of Śaineya/Sātyaki amid Encirclement

Devanagari script

विन्दानुविन्दावावन्त्यौ विराट मत्स्यमार्च्छताम्‌ । प्राणांस्त्यक्त्वा महेष्वासौ मित्रार्थे भ्युद्यतायुधौ

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

vindānuvindāv āvantyau virāṭa-matsyam ārcchatām |

prāṇāṁs tyaktvā maheṣvāsau mitrārthe bhyudyatāyudhau ||

Translation

Sinabi ni Sañjaya: Ang mga prinsipe ng Avanti na sina Vindā at Anuvindā ay sumalakay kay Virāṭa, hari ng mga Matsya. Ang dalawang dakilang mamamanang iyon, na itinakwil ang pangamba sa sariling buhay, ay nagtaas ng sandata para sa kanilang kaibigan—si Duryodhana—na nagpapakita kung paanong ang katapatan sa digmaan ay maaaring tumigas bilang pasyang handang magsapanganib, at malamang na matabunan ang pag-iingat at pagpipigil ayon sa dharma.

Word by Word

• विन्दानुविन्दौ: Vind(a) and Anuvinda
• विन्दानुविन्दौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विन्द + अनुविन्द (नामन्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• आवन्त्यौ: the two (princes) of Avanti
• आवन्त्यौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आवन्त्य (आवन्त्य-देशीय)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• विराटम्: Virata
• विराटम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विराट (नामन्)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• मत्स्यम्: the Matsya (kingdom/people)
• मत्स्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत्स्य (जनपद/राज्य)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आर्च्छताम्: they two attacked/approached
• Type: Verb
• Root: ऋच्छ् (गम्/प्राप्)
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), Third, Dual

• प्राणान्: life-breaths, lives
• प्राणान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• त्यक्त्वा: having abandoned (having given up)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज्
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वा), Active

• महेष्वासौ: the two great bowmen
• महेष्वासौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + इष्वास (धनुर्धर)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• मित्रार्थे: for a friend's sake
• मित्रार्थे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मित्र + अर्थ
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• अभ्युद्यतायुधौ: with weapons raised, ready for battle
• अभ्युद्यतायुधौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभि + उद् + यम् (उद्यत) + आयुध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual, Past passive participle used adjectivally (उद्यत)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Vindā
• Anuvindā
• Avanti
• Virāṭa
• Matsya
• Duryodhana

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the power and peril of loyalty: devotion to a friend can inspire heroic self-sacrifice, yet in the context of war it also raises ethical tension—whether personal bonds should override broader dharmic considerations and the consequences of violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that the Avanti princes Vindā and Anuvindā move to engage (and effectively attack) Virāṭa, king of the Matsyas. They do so with weapons raised, ready to risk their lives, motivated by allegiance to their friend Duryodhana.