Mahabharata · 2.44.5–6
॥
Devanāgarī
धनंजयेन गाण्डीवम् अक्षय्यौ च महेषुधी ॥
लब्धान्य् अस्त्राणि दिव्यानि तर्पयित्वा हुताशनम् ॥
तेन कार्मुकमुख्येन बाहुवीर्येण चात्मनः ॥
कृता वशे महीपालास् तत्र का परिदेवना ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
dhanaṃjayena gāṇḍīvam akṣayyau ca maheṣudhī ||
labdhāny astrāṇi divyāni tarpayitvā hutāśanam ||
tena kārmukamukhyena bāhuvīryeṇa cātmanaḥ ||
kṛtā vaśe mahīpālās tatra kā paridevanā ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
धनंजयेन गाण्डीवम्dhanaṃjayena gāṇḍīvam"By Dhananjaya was won Gandiva,
अक्षय्यौ च महा-इषुधीakṣayyau ca mahā-iṣudhīand two inexhaustible great quivers
लब्धान्य् अस्त्राणि दिव्यानिlabdhāny astrāṇi divyāniwere obtained, divine weapons,
तर्पयित्वा हुताशनम्tarpayitvā hutāśanamhaving satisfied [with an offering] the Eater of oblations [Agni];
तेन कार्मुक-मुख्येनtena kārmuka-mukhyenawith that finest bow
बाहु-वीर्येण च आत्मनःbāhu-vīryeṇa ca ātmanaḥand with the might of his own arms
कृता वशे महीपालास्kṛtā vaśe mahīpālāskings were subdued [by him] --
तत्र का परिदेवनाtatra kā paridevanāwhat is there to lament here?"
महेषुधीmaheṣudhīoriginal form "maheṣudhī", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
कार्मुकमुख्येनkārmukamukhyenaoriginal form "kārmukamukhyena", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
बाहुवीर्येणbāhuvīryeṇaoriginal form "bāhuvīryeṇa", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
चात्मनःcātmanaḥoriginal form "cātmanaḥ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Translation
"By Dhananjaya were won Gandiva, the two inexhaustible great quivers, and divine weapons -- when he satisfied the Eater of oblations [Agni] with an offering. By that finest of bows and by the might of his own arms kings were subdued by him -- what is there to lament here?"
Version
a42cb5fccc90 · published Jul 16, 2026, 3:49:22 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Shakuni himself testifies that Arjuna's weapons are a gift of the gods, received for service to Agni. It is notable that the Pandavas' might too has a heavenly source: Gandiva and the divine arrows were neither bought nor seized, but granted from above for a righteous deed. The verse teaches that true strength descends as a reward for service, not gained by self-will. And the envious have nothing to answer: what is given by God for merit cannot be taken away by cunning. Shakuni sees only the outward -- the bow and the arms -- not noticing that behind them stands the favor of heaven; and so his scheme is doomed: one cannot out-play someone whom Heaven itself assists.