Mahabharata · 1.215.12–13
॥
Devanāgarī
एवम् उक्ते प्रत्युवाच बीभत्सुर् जातवेदसम् ॥
दिधक्षुं खाण्डवं दावम् अकामस्य शतक्रतोः ॥
उत्तमास्त्राणि मे सन्ति दिव्यानि च बहूनि च ॥
यैर् अहं शक्नुयां योद्धुम् अपि वज्रधरान् बहून् ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
evam ukte pratyuvāca bībhatsur jātavedasam ||
didhakṣuṃ khāṇḍavaṃ dāvam akāmasya śatakratoḥ ||
uttamāstrāṇi me santi divyāni ca bahūni ca ||
yair ahaṃ śaknuyāṃ yoddhum api vajradharān bahūn ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
एवम् उक्ते प्रत्युवाच बीभत्सुः जातवेदसम्evam ukte pratyuvāca bībhatsuḥ jātavedasamwhen this had been said, Vibhatsu [Arjuna] answered Jataveda [Agni],
दिधक्षुं खाण्डवं दावम् अकामस्य शतक्रतोःdidhakṣuṃ khāṇḍavaṃ dāvam akāmasya śatakratoḥwho wished to burn the forest Khandava against the will of Shatakratu [Indra]:
उत्तमास्त्राणि मे सन्ति दिव्यानि च बहूनि चuttamāstrāṇi me santi divyāni ca bahūni ca'I have excellent weapons, divine and many,
यैः अहं शक्नुयां योद्धुम् अपि वज्रधरान् बहून्yaiḥ ahaṃ śaknuyāṃ yoddhum api vajradharān bahūnwith which I could fight even against many wielders of the thunderbolt;
बीभत्सुर्bībhatsuroriginal form "bībhatsur", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
यैर्yairoriginal form "yair", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Translation
Arjuna said: "When this had been said, Vibhatsu answered Jataveda, who wished to burn the forest Khandava against the will of Shatakratu: 'I have excellent weapons, divine and many, with which I could fight even against many wielders of the thunderbolt.'"
Version
a0e553d000ef · published Jul 12, 2026, 6:11:48 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Here the hero does not boast, but soberly assesses his own strength. It is significant that Arjuna, while acknowledging his weapons, will at once point out the lack of a fitting bow: the true warrior knows both his strength and its limit. The wise one undertakes a task only after weighing his means. The scripture shows here Arjuna's discernment; and he will name what he lacks.