Mahabharata · 1.219.14–15
॥
Devanāgarī
न च शक्यौ त्वया जेतुं युद्धे ऽस्मिन् समवस्थितौ ॥
वासुदेवार्जुनौ शक्र निबोधेदं वचो मम ॥
नरनारायणौ देवौ ताव् एतौ विश्रुतौ दिवि ॥
भवान् अप्य् अभिजानाति यद्वीर्यौ यत्पराक्रमौ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
na ca śakyau tvayā jetuṃ yuddhe 'smin samavasthitau ||
vāsudevārjunau śakra nibodhedaṃ vaco mama ||
naranārāyaṇau devau tāv etau viśrutau divi ||
bhavān apy abhijānāti yadvīryau yatparākramau ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
न च शक्यौ त्वया जेतुं युद्धे अस्मिन् समवस्थितौna ca śakyau tvayā jetuṃ yuddhe asmin samavasthitauand you cannot conquer in this battle those two standing here,
वासुदेवार्जुनौ शक्र निबोध इदं वचः ममvāsudevārjunau śakra nibodha idaṃ vacaḥ mamaVasudeva and Arjuna, O Shakra; hear this word of mine:
नरनारायणौ देवौ तौ एतौ विश्रुतौ दिविnaranārāyaṇau devau tau etau viśrutau divithese are the gods Nara and Narayana, renowned in heaven;
भवान् अपि अभिजानाति यद्वीर्यौ यत्पराक्रमौbhavān api abhijānāti yadvīryau yatparākramauand you yourself know what their might is, what their valor is;
ऽस्मिन्'sminoriginal form "'smin", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
निबोधेदंnibodhedaṃoriginal form "nibodhedaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
वचोvacooriginal form "vaco", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
ताव्tāvoriginal form "tāv", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
अप्य्apyoriginal form "apy", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Translation
"And you cannot conquer in this battle these two standing here, Vasudeva and Arjuna, O Shakra; hear this word of mine: these are the gods Nara and Narayana, renowned in heaven; and you yourself know what their might is, what their valor is."
Version
475d9b749376 · published Jul 12, 2026, 6:11:48 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Here from above the highest secret is proclaimed: they are Nara and Narayana. It is telling that the heavenly voice itself confirms the divinity of Krishna and Arjuna: what had before only glimmered is now openly declared. Here is confirmation that within the guise of two friends dwell the eternal Lord and His companion. So does scripture reveal their true nature; and hence their invincibility is beyond doubt.