Mahabharata · 1.216.11–12
॥
Devanāgarī
यं स्म सोमः समारुह्य दानवान् अजयत् प्रभुः ॥
नगमेघप्रतीकाशं ज्वलन्तम् इव च श्रिया ॥
आश्रिता तं रथश्रेष्ठं शक्रायुधसमा शुभा ॥
तापनीया सुरुचिरा ध्वजयष्टिर् अनुत्तमा ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
yaṃ sma somaḥ samāruhya dānavān ajayat prabhuḥ ||
nagameghapratīkāśaṃ jvalantam iva ca śriyā ||
āśritā taṃ rathaśreṣṭhaṃ śakrāyudhasamā śubhā ||
tāpanīyā surucirā dhvajayaṣṭir anuttamā ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
यं स्म सोमः समारुह्य दानवान् अजयत् प्रभुःyaṃ sma somaḥ samāruhya dānavān ajayat prabhuḥmounting which, the lord Soma conquered the danavas,
नगमेघप्रतीकाशं ज्वलन्तम् इव च श्रियाnagameghapratīkāśaṃ jvalantam iva ca śriyā[the chariot,] resembling a mountain [and] a cloud, as if blazing with splendor;
आश्रिता तं रथश्रेष्ठं शक्रायुधसमा शुभाāśritā taṃ rathaśreṣṭhaṃ śakrāyudhasamā śubhāfastened to that finest of chariots, resembling the weapon of Shakra [the rainbow], auspicious,
तापनीया सुरुचिरा ध्वजयष्टिः अनुत्तमाtāpanīyā surucirā dhvajayaṣṭiḥ anuttamāgolden, most pleasing, the flagstaff, unsurpassed;
ध्वजयष्टिर्dhvajayaṣṭiroriginal form "dhvajayaṣṭir", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Translation
Mounting which, the lord Soma conquered the danavas — the chariot resembling a mountain and a cloud, as if blazing with splendor; fastened to that finest of chariots, resembling the weapon of Shakra, auspicious, golden, most pleasing, the flagstaff, unsurpassed.
Version
f0ecd7b2cece · published Jul 12, 2026, 6:11:48 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Here the chariot is glorious for the victories of the gods of old. It is significant that upon it Soma vanquished the danavas: an instrument that once served the gods in victory is now entrusted to Arjuna. Here is the succession of divine power passing to the worthy. Thus the scripture reveals the lineage of the chariot; and its bearer inherits the glory of past conquerors.