Mahabharata · 1.197.17–18
॥
Devanāgarī
भीमसेनो महाबाहुर् नागायुतबलो महान् ॥
कथं हि युधि शक्येत विजेतुम् अमरैर् अपि ॥
तथैव कृतिनौ युद्धे यमौ यमसुताव् इव ॥
कथं विषहितुं शक्यौ रणे जीवितुम् इच्छता ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
bhīmaseno mahābāhur nāgāyutabalo mahān ||
kathaṃ hi yudhi śakyeta vijetum amarair api ||
tathaiva kṛtinau yuddhe yamau yamasutāv iva ||
kathaṃ viṣahituṃ śakyau raṇe jīvitum icchatā ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
भीमसेनः महाबाहुः नागायुतबलः महान्bhīmasenaḥ mahābāhuḥ nāgāyutabalaḥ mahānBhimasena, mighty-armed, strong as ten thousand elephants, great --
कथं हि युधि शक्येत विजेतुम् अमरैः अपिkathaṃ hi yudhi śakyeta vijetum amaraiḥ apihow could he be conquered in battle even by the immortals?
तथा एव कृतिनौ युद्धे यमौ यमसुतौ इवtathā eva kṛtinau yuddhe yamau yamasutau ivalikewise the accomplished twins in war, like the sons of Yama --
कथं विषहितुं शक्यौ रणे जीवितुम् इच्छताkathaṃ viṣahituṃ śakyau raṇe jīvitum icchatāhow could they be withstood in battle by one who wishes to live?
भीमसेनोbhīmasenooriginal form "bhīmaseno", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
महाबाहुर्mahābāhuroriginal form "mahābāhur", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
नागायुतबलोnāgāyutabalooriginal form "nāgāyutabalo", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
अमरैर्amarairoriginal form "amarair", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
तथैवtathaivaoriginal form "tathaiva", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
यमसुताव्yamasutāvoriginal form "yamasutāv", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Translation
"Bhimasena, mighty-armed, strong as ten thousand elephants, great -- how could he be conquered in battle even by the immortals? Likewise the accomplished twins, skilled in war like the sons of Yama -- how could they be withstood in battle by one who wishes to live?"
Version
ba19cea5890a · published Jul 12, 2026, 5:54:01 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Here the might of each brother is enumerated. It is telling that both Bhima and the twins are called invincible: the strength of the Pandavas lies not in a single man but in all of them together. Herein is the law: a blessed brotherhood is invincible in its totality. Thus the text reveals the fullness of their valor; and any plan of war against them appears as madness.