Chapter 1, Verse 17
काश्यश्च परमेष्वासः शिखण्डी च महारथः। धृष्टद्युम्नो विराटश्च सात्यकिश्चापराजितः।।
kāśyaś ca parameṣvāsaḥ śikhaṇḍī ca mahārathaḥ dhṛṣṭadyumno virāṭaś ca sātyakiś cāparājitaḥ
Meaning
The King of Kashi who was a supreme archer, the great chariot-warrior Shikhandi, Dhrishtadyumna, Virata, and the unconquered Satyaki —
Word-by-Word Meaning
Explanation & Commentary
The roll-call of Pandava allies continues with the same attention given to the Kaurava side, creating a symmetry that reflects the balanced and dharmic structure of the narrative. Shikhandi is a particularly significant figure — born as a woman in a previous life, reborn as a man, and destined to be the instrument of Bhishma's death. The forces of karma work through unlikely vessels.
Satyaki is called 'aparājita' — the unconquered. He was Arjuna's student and is one of the few warriors from the Pandava side who will survive the war. His epithet gestures toward a deeper truth: there is a dimension of the self that cannot be defeated, not because it is physically invincible but because it remains in alignment with dharma.
This verse, like its counterparts, invites reflection on the allies we have gathered through our lives — those who stand with us in difficult times. The quality of those bonds, forged in righteousness and mutual respect, determines the resilience of what we undertake together.
💡 Key Takeaway
The allies you cultivate through righteous living become the support that sustains you in your most difficult hours.
Related Verses
धृतराष्ट्र उवाच | धर्मक्षेत्रे कुरुक्षेत्रे समवेता युयुत्सवः | मामकाः पाण्डवाश्चैव किमकुर्वत सञ्जय ॥१॥
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca | dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ | māmakāḥ pāṇḍavāś caiva kim akurvata sañjaya ||1||
Dhritarashtra said: O Sanjaya, after assembling in the place of pilgrimage at Kurukshetra, what did my sons and the sons of Pandu do, being desirous to fight?
सञ्जय उवाच दृष्ट्वा तु पाण्डवानीकं व्यूढं दुर्योधनस्तदा। आचार्यमुपसङ्गम्य राजा वचनमब्रवीत्।।
sañjaya uvāca dṛṣṭvā tu pāṇḍavānīkaṁ vyūḍhaṁ duryodhanas tadā ācāryam upasaṅgamya rājā vacanam abravīt
Sanjaya said: Having seen the army of the Pandavas arrayed in battle formation, King Duryodhana then approached his teacher Drona and spoke these words.
पश्यैतां पाण्डुपुत्राणामाचार्य महतीं चमूम्। व्यूढां द्रुपदपुत्रेण तव शिष्येण धीमता।।
paśyaitāṁ pāṇḍu-putrāṇām ācārya mahatīṁ camūm vyūḍhāṁ drupada-putreṇa tava śiṣyeṇa dhīmatā
O teacher, behold this mighty army of the sons of Pandu, so skilfully arrayed by the son of Drupada — your own talented student.