Mahabharata · 1.217.2–3
॥
Devanāgarī
यत्र यत्र हि दृश्यन्ते प्राणिनः खाण्डवालयाः ॥
पलायन्तस् तत्र तत्र तौ वीरौ पर्यधावताम् ॥
छिद्रं हि न प्रपश्यन्ति रथयोर् आशुविक्रमात् ॥
आविद्धाव् इव दृश्येते रथिनौ तौ रथोत्तमौ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
yatra yatra hi dṛśyante prāṇinaḥ khāṇḍavālayāḥ ||
palāyantas tatra tatra tau vīrau paryadhāvatām ||
chidraṃ hi na prapaśyanti rathayor āśuvikramāt ||
āviddhāv iva dṛśyete rathinau tau rathottamau ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
यत्र यत्र हि दृश्यन्ते प्राणिनः खाण्डवालयाःyatra yatra hi dṛśyante prāṇinaḥ khāṇḍavālayāḥwherever creatures, the denizens of Khandava, were seen,
पलायन्तः तत्र तत्र तौ वीरौ पर्यधावताम्palāyantaḥ tatra tatra tau vīrau paryadhāvatāmfleeing, there and there those two heroes rushed;
छिद्रं हि न प्रपश्यन्ति रथयोः आशुविक्रमात्chidraṃ hi na prapaśyanti rathayoḥ āśuvikramātfor no gap could be seen, so swift was the course of the two chariots;
आविद्धौ इव दृश्येते रथिनौ तौ रथोत्तमौāviddhau iva dṛśyete rathinau tau rathottamauas if swept up by a whirlwind the two charioteers on their finest chariots appeared;
पलायन्तस्palāyantasoriginal form "palāyantas", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
रथयोर्rathayororiginal form "rathayor", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
आविद्धाव्āviddhāvoriginal form "āviddhāv", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Translation
"Wherever the creatures, the denizens of Khandava, were seen fleeing, there and there those two heroes rushed; for no gap could be seen, so swift was the course of the chariots; as if swept up by a whirlwind the two charioteers on their finest chariots appeared."
Version
23eaee1d861e · published Jul 12, 2026, 6:11:48 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Here a ring of fire and arrows leaves the creature no way out. It is telling that "no gap could be seen" -- those fleeing have nowhere to hide. Here is a fearsome image of the inescapability of fate: when the appointed hour comes, no creature finds refuge. Thus scripture reveals the relentlessness of death, and this is a stern reminder of the transience of all that lives.