Mahabharata · 1.215.16–17
॥
Devanāgarī
अश्वांश् च दिव्यान् इच्छेयं पाण्डुरान् वातरंहसः ॥
रथं च मेघनिर्घोषं सूर्यप्रतिमतेजसम् ॥
तथा कृष्णस्य वीर्येण नायुधं विद्यते समम् ॥
येन नागान् पिशाचांश् च निहन्यान् माधवो रणे ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
aśvāṃś ca divyān iccheyaṃ pāṇḍurān vātaraṃhasaḥ ||
rathaṃ ca meghanirghoṣaṃ sūryapratimatejasam ||
tathā kṛṣṇasya vīryeṇa nāyudhaṃ vidyate samam ||
yena nāgān piśācāṃś ca nihanyān mādhavo raṇe ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
अश्वान् च दिव्यान् इच्छेयं पाण्डुरान् वातरंहसःaśvān ca divyān iccheyaṃ pāṇḍurān vātaraṃhasaḥand I would wish for divine horses, white, swift as the wind,
रथं च मेघनिर्घोषं सूर्यप्रतिमतेजसम्rathaṃ ca meghanirghoṣaṃ sūryapratimatejasamand a chariot, thundering like a cloud, radiant as the sun;
तथा कृष्णस्य वीर्येण न आयुधं विद्यते समम्tathā kṛṣṇasya vīryeṇa na āyudhaṃ vidyate samamlikewise, there is no weapon equal to Krishna's might,
येन नागान् पिशाचान् च निहन्यात् माधवः रणेyena nāgān piśācān ca nihanyāt mādhavaḥ raṇewith which Madhava could slay serpents and pishachas in battle;
अश्वांश्aśvāṃśoriginal form "aśvāṃś", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
नायुधंnāyudhaṃoriginal form "nāyudhaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
पिशाचांश्piśācāṃśoriginal form "piśācāṃś", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
निहन्यान्nihanyānoriginal form "nihanyān", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
माधवोmādhavooriginal form "mādhavo", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Translation
"And I would wish for divine horses, white, swift as the wind, and a chariot thundering like a cloud, radiant as the sun; likewise, there is no weapon equal to Krishna's might, with which Madhava could slay serpents and pishachas in battle."
Version
2a3ff5c4c272 · published Jul 12, 2026, 6:11:48 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Here Arjuna cares about a weapon for his friend as well. It is significant that he asks for a worthy weapon for Krishna too: the devotee cares for the Lord no less than for himself. Here is a love that places the friend's good on a level with one's own. The scripture shows here Arjuna's care for Krishna; and the request for wondrous gifts extends to both of them.