Mahabharata · 1.181.7–8
॥
Devanāgarī
ततो वैकर्तनः कर्णो जगामार्जुनम् ओजसा ॥
युद्धार्थी वाशिताहेतोर् गजः प्रतिगजं यथा ॥
भीमसेनं ययौ शल्यो मद्राणाम् ईश्वरो बली ॥
दुर्योधनादयस् त्व् अन्ये ब्राह्मणैः सह संगताः ॥
मृदुपूर्वम् अयत्नेन प्रत्ययुध्यंस् तदाहवे ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
tato vaikartanaḥ karṇo jagāmārjunam ojasā ||
yuddhārthī vāśitāhetor gajaḥ pratigajaṃ yathā ||
bhīmasenaṃ yayau śalyo madrāṇām īśvaro balī ||
duryodhanādayas tv anye brāhmaṇaiḥ saha saṃgatāḥ ||
mṛdupūrvam ayatnena pratyayudhyaṃs tadāhave ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
ततः वैकर्तनः कर्णः जगाम अर्जुनम् ओजसाtataḥ vaikartanaḥ karṇaḥ jagāma arjunam ojasāthen Vaikartana Karna went at Arjuna with [full] force,
युद्धार्थी वाशिताहेतोः गजः प्रतिगजं यथाyuddhārthī vāśitāhetoḥ gajaḥ pratigajaṃ yathāseeking battle, as an elephant goes at a rival elephant over a female;
भीमसेनं ययौ शल्यः मद्राणाम् ईश्वरः बलीbhīmasenaṃ yayau śalyaḥ madrāṇām īśvaraḥ balīat Bhimasena went Shalya, mighty lord of the Madras;
दुर्योधनादयः तु अन्ये ब्राह्मणैः सह संगताःduryodhanādayaḥ tu anye brāhmaṇaiḥ saha saṃgatāḥDuryodhana and the others, meeting the brahmins,
मृदुपूर्वम् अयत्नेन प्रत्ययुध्यन् तदा आहवेmṛdupūrvam ayatnena pratyayudhyan tadā āhavefought gently, without effort, then in that clash;
ततोtatooriginal form "tato", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
कर्णोkarṇooriginal form "karṇo", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
जगामार्जुनम्jagāmārjunamoriginal form "jagāmārjunam", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
वाशिताहेतोर्vāśitāhetororiginal form "vāśitāhetor", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
शल्योśalyooriginal form "śalyo", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
ईश्वरोīśvarooriginal form "īśvaro", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
दुर्योधनादयस्duryodhanādayasoriginal form "duryodhanādayas", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
त्व्tvoriginal form "tv", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
प्रत्ययुध्यंस्pratyayudhyaṃsoriginal form "pratyayudhyaṃs", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
तदाहवेtadāhaveoriginal form "tadāhave", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Translation
"Then Vaikartana Karna went at Arjuna with full force, like an elephant against a rival; at Bhimasena went mighty Shalya, lord of the Madras; and Duryodhana and the others, meeting the brahmins, fought gently, without effort."
Version
171520da46e9 · published Jul 12, 2026, 5:44:41 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Here the strongest go against the strongest, while the rest hold back. It is telling that Duryodhana and the others fight "gently, without effort": they sense that these are no ordinary brahmins before them, and dare not press hard. Here is an involuntary respect that hidden greatness inspires: even enemies soften, not knowing why. Thus the verse shows that dignity shines through even rags; and the Kauravas' hesitation is an unspoken acknowledgment of the strength of the concealed Pandavas.