Mahabharata 7.97.34 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 97, Shloka 34

शैनेयचरितम्

The Exploits of Śaineya/Sātyaki amid Encirclement

Devanagari script

तावकानां परेषां च युध्यतां भरतर्षभ । नासीत्‌ कश्चिन्महाराज योज्त्याक्षीत्‌ संयुगं भयात्‌

Transliteration

tāvakānāṃ pareṣāṃ ca yudhyatāṃ bharatarṣabha | nāsīt kaścin mahārāja yo jitākṣīt saṃyugaṃ bhayāt ||

Translation

Sañjaya nói: Hỡi bậc trượng phu trong dòng Bharata, hỡi Đại vương—giữa các chiến sĩ của ngài và các chiến sĩ đối phương đang giao chiến, không một ai vì sợ hãi mà bỏ rời chiến địa. Cảnh tượng ấy thấm đẫm sự kiên định giữa hiểm nguy: cả hai bên đều bị ràng buộc bởi bổn phận của kṣatriya, dẫu cái giá phải trả là chính mạng sống.

Word by Word

• तावकानाम्: of your (men)
• तावकानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तावक
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• परेषाम्: of the enemies/others
• परेषाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• युध्यताम्: while fighting / of those who were fighting
• युध्यताम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: युध्
• Form: Present participial sense (verbal form used as genitive plural of present participle), Plural, Atmanepada/Parasmaipada (contextual; participial usage)

• भरतर्षभ: O bull among the Bharatas
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरत-ऋषभ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• आसीत्: there was
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Imperfect, 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• कश्चित्: anyone
• कश्चित्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: क
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महाराज: O great king
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-राज
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• यः: who
• यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• त्यक्त्वा: having abandoned
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund)

• अक्षीत्: remained / stayed
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Imperfect, 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• संयुगम्: battle
• संयुगम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: संयुग
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• भयात्: from fear / out of fear
• भयात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• भरतभूषण: O ornament of the Bharatas
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरत-भूषण
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by 'mahārāja')
• Bharata lineage (address: bharatarṣabha)
• Kaurava army (tāvakāḥ)
• Pāṇḍava/opposing army (pare)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights steadfastness in one’s chosen duty: in the heat of battle, neither side yields to fear by deserting the field. Ethically, it underscores the epic ideal of kṣatriya resolve—endurance, honor, and commitment even amid mortal danger.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that during the fighting between the Kauravas and their opponents, no combatant withdrew from the battlefield out of fear; the engagement continues with unwavering intensity on both sides.