Seldom by the given gate
Does wise enter enemy land,
But by the right gate and straight
The way is to a friend;
These then the rightful ways,
Ancient wisdom as says.
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Here is the transliteration of the original verse:
a-dvāreņa ripoh gehamdvāreņa suhrado gŗhān |
pravishanti narāh dhirāh dvārāņi etāni dharmatah || sabhā 21-53 ||
It was decided to send Arjun and Bhimsen to go to the kingdom of Jarasandha, a mighty warrior, to challenge him for a duel. Krishna accompanied them. They went there disguised as Brahmins and entered the fort incognito. But Jarasandha saw through their disguise. To his question, why they did not enter by the main gate, Krishna answers in this verse: When one goes to a friend he chooses the proper gate, but not when going to the foe.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
When Jarasandha asked Arjun, Bhimsen and Krishna why they did not enter by the main gate, Krishna replied that one goes to a friend he chooses the proper gate, but not when going to the foe. This essence is nicely delineated in thisa poem, Mahabharata - 7. Beautiful work.
I notice that you keenly read the text along with the poem, an indication of a good poet. A poem exists in a context. Thank you so much.