Mahabharata
Yāna-saṃdhi (049) (Discussions of Peace and War, Chapters 46–70)5.49.31-35
4363 / 15823
Mahabharata · 5.49.31-35
Devanāgarī

तपश् चचार या घोरं काशिकन्या पुरा सती ॥
भीष्मस्य वधम् इच्छन्ती प्रेत्यापि भरतर्षभ ॥
पाञ्चालस्य सुता जज्ञे दैवाच् च स पुनः पुमान् ॥
स्त्रीपुंसोः पुरुषव्याघ्र यः स वेद गुणागुणान् ॥
यः कलिङ्गान् समापेदे पाञ्चालो युद्धदुर्मदः ॥
शिखण्डिना वः कुरवः कृतास्त्रेणाभ्ययुञ्जत ॥
यां यक्षः पुरुषं चक्रे भीष्मस्य निधने किल ॥
महेष्वासेन रौद्रेण पाण्डवा अभ्ययुञ्जत ॥
महेष्वासा राजपुत्रा भ्रातरः पञ्च केकयाः ॥
सुमृष्टकवचाः शूरास् तैश् च वस् ते ऽभ्ययुञ्जत ॥

Transliteration (IAST)

tapaś cacāra yā ghoraṃ kāśikanyā purā satī ||
bhīṣmasya vadham icchantī pretyāpi bharatarṣabha ||
pāñcālasya sutā jajñe daivāc ca sa punaḥ pumān ||
strīpuṃsoḥ puruṣavyāghra yaḥ sa veda guṇāguṇān ||
yaḥ kaliṅgān samāpede pāñcālo yuddhadurmadaḥ ||
śikhaṇḍinā vaḥ kuravaḥ kṛtāstreṇābhyayuñjata ||
yāṃ yakṣaḥ puruṣaṃ cakre bhīṣmasya nidhane kila ||
maheṣvāsena raudreṇa pāṇḍavā abhyayuñjata ||
maheṣvāsā rājaputrā bhrātaraḥ pañca kekayāḥ ||
sumṛṣṭakavacāḥ śūrās taiś ca vas te 'bhyayuñjata ||

Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
तपश्tapaśasceticism; austerity
चचारcacārawandered; went about
याwho; the one that
घोरंghoraṃterrible; harsh
काशिकन्याkāśikanyādaughter of the king of Kashi; the princess of Kashi; the maiden of Kashi
पुराpurāformerly; previously
सतीsatīvirtuous; faithful; good
भीष्मस्यbhīṣmasyaof Bhishma; of the son of Shantanu
वधम्vadhamthe slaying; the death; the destruction
इच्छन्तीicchantīdesiring; longing for; wishing
प्रेत्यापिpretyāpieven after death; also in a new birth; having passed into another world
भरतर्षभbharatarṣabhaO bull among the Bharatas; O best of the Bharatas
पाञ्चालस्यpāñcālasyaof Panchala; of the king of Panchala; of Drupada
सुताsutādaughter; the one born; princess
जज्ञेjajñewas born; came into being; arose
दैवाच्daivācby fate; by divine will; by chance from above
caand; also
sahe; this one
पुनःpunaḥagain; then
पुमान्pumāna man; a male
स्त्रीपुंसोःstrīpuṃsoḥof woman and man; of the female and the male; of the two sexes
पुरुषव्याघ्रpuruṣavyāghraO tiger among men; O best of men
यःyaḥwhich; what
sahe; this one
वेदvedaknows; understands
गुणागुणान्guṇāguṇānmerits and faults; qualities and flaws; the good and the bad
यःyaḥwhich; what
कलिङ्गान्kaliṅgānthe Kalingas; the people of Kalinga
समापेदेsamāpedereached; attacked; approached
पाञ्चालोpāñcālothe Panchala; the king of Panchala; the warrior of Panchala
युद्धदुर्मदःyuddhadurmadaḥindomitable in battle; intoxicated with war
शिखण्डिनाśikhaṇḍināby Shikhandin; by the warrior Shikhandin; by the son of Drupada
वःvaḥyour; to you
कुरवःkuravaḥthe Kurus; the descendants of Kuru
कृतास्त्रेणाभ्ययुञ्जतkṛtāstreṇābhyayuñjatamarched against the one trained in arms; joined battle with the one skilled in weapons; were arrayed against the master of arms
यांyāṃwhom; the one that
यक्षःyakṣaḥa yaksha; a yaksha-spirit; a superhuman being
पुरुषंpuruṣaṃa man; a person
चक्रेcakremade; brought about
भीष्मस्यbhīṣmasyaof Bhishma; of the son of Shantanu
निधनेnidhaneat the death; at the destruction; for the slaying
किलkilaindeed; as is known
महेष्वासेनmaheṣvāsenaby the great archer; by the one with a mighty bow; by the master of the great bow
रौद्रेणraudreṇafearsome; fierce; terrible
पाण्डवाpāṇḍavāthe Pandavas; the sons of Pandu
अभ्ययुञ्जतabhyayuñjatamarched against; joined in battle; were arrayed for battle
महेष्वासाmaheṣvāsāgreat archers; wielders of mighty bows
राजपुत्राrājaputrāprinces; sons of kings; royal youths
भ्रातरःbhrātaraḥbrothers; kinsmen
पञ्चpañcafive; five in number
केकयाःkekayāḥthe Kekayas; the princes of Kekaya; warriors of Kekaya
सुमृष्टकवचाःsumṛṣṭakavacāḥwith polished armor; in well-burnished mail; with gleaming armor
शूरास्śūrāsheroes; the brave
तैश्taiświth them; by them
caand; also
वस्vasyour; for you
तेtethey; those
ऽभ्ययुञ्जत'bhyayuñjatamarched against; joined in battle; were arrayed for battle
Translation

Know that the great calamity about to befall your wicked sons is the doing of this wretched son of a Suta! Relying upon him, your foolish son Suyodhana has insulted these heroes of celestial origin, these chastisers of all foes. What difficult feat performed by this scoundrel before now equals any of those that each of the Pandavas achieved in the past? When, at the city of Virata, he saw his beloved brother slain by Dhananjaya, who displayed such valor, what did this man do then? When Dhananjaya, hurling himself upon all the assembled Kurus, crushed them and stripped them of their garments, was this man not present then? When your son was carried off captive by the Gandharvas at the time of the cattle affair, where was this son of a Suta then, who now roars like a bull?

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962adc4c7ae6 · published Jul 17, 2026, 4:31:17 AM UTC

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