Mahabharata
Bhagavad-yāna (096) (Kṛṣṇa's Embassy to the Kurus, Chapters 71-137)5.96.16-20
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Mahabharata · 5.96.16-20
Devanāgarī

अक्षयाणि किलैतानि विवर्तन्ते स्म मातले ॥
अनुभावप्रयुक्तानि सुरैर् अवजितानि ह ॥
अत्र राक्षसजात्यश् च भूतजात्यश् च मातले ॥
दिव्यप्रहरणाश् चासन् पूर्वदैवतनिर्मिताः ॥
अग्निर् एष महार्चिष्माञ् जागर्ति वरुणह्रदे ॥
वैष्णवं चक्रम् आविद्धं विधूमेन हविष्मता ॥
एष गाण्डीमयश् चापो लोकसंहारसंभृतः ॥
रक्ष्यते दैवतैर् नित्यं यतस् तद् गाण्डिवं धनुः ॥
एष कृत्ये समुत्पन्ने तत् तद् धारयते बलम् ॥
सहस्रशतसंख्येन प्राणेन सततं ध्रुवम् ॥

Transliteration (IAST)

akṣayāṇi kilaitāni vivartante sma mātale ||
anubhāvaprayuktāni surair avajitāni ha ||
atra rākṣasajātyaś ca bhūtajātyaś ca mātale ||
divyapraharaṇāś cāsan pūrvadaivatanirmitāḥ ||
agnir eṣa mahārciṣmāñ jāgarti varuṇahrade ||
vaiṣṇavaṃ cakram āviddhaṃ vidhūmena haviṣmatā ||
eṣa gāṇḍīmayaś cāpo lokasaṃhārasaṃbhṛtaḥ ||
rakṣyate daivatair nityaṃ yatas tad gāṇḍivaṃ dhanuḥ ||
eṣa kṛtye samutpanne tat tad dhārayate balam ||
sahasraśatasaṃkhyena prāṇena satataṃ dhruvam ||

Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
अक्षयाणिakṣayāṇiimperishable; indestructible
किलैतानिkilaitāniindeed these; these, as is known
विवर्तन्तेvivartantemove; revolve
स्मsmaindeed; truly
मातलेmātaleO Matali; Matali
अनुभावप्रयुक्तानिanubhāvaprayuktāniset in motion by power; driven by might
सुरैर्surairby the gods; by the celestials
अवजितानिavajitāniwon; gained by victory
haindeed; truly
अत्रatrahere; in this
राक्षसजात्यश्rākṣasajātyaśraces of rakshasas; tribes of rakshasas
caand; also
भूतजात्यश्bhūtajātyaśraces of spirits; tribes of spirits
caand; also
मातलेmātaleO Matali; Matali
दिव्यप्रहरणाश्divyapraharaṇāśdivine weapons; celestial arms
चासन्cāsanand there were; and existed
पूर्वदैवतनिर्मिताःpūrvadaivatanirmitāḥmade by the ancient gods; fashioned by the gods of old
अग्निर्agnirAgni; the god of fire
एषeṣathis; he
महार्चिष्माञ्mahārciṣmāñwith great flame; blazing with mighty fire
जागर्तिjāgartiis awake; does not sleep
वरुणह्रदेvaruṇahradein Varuna's lake; in Varuna's pool
वैष्णवंvaiṣṇavaṃbelonging to Vishnu; Vaishnava
चक्रम्cakramdisc; wheel
आविद्धंāviddhaṃspinning; set whirling
विधूमेनvidhūmenasmokeless; without smoke
हविष्मताhaviṣmatābearing the oblation; fed by the offering
एषeṣathis; he
गाण्डीमयश्gāṇḍīmayaśmade of gandi wood; fashioned from gandi wood
चापोcāpobow; war-bow
लोकसंहारसंभृतःlokasaṃhārasaṃbhṛtaḥamassed for the destruction of worlds; gathered for the ruin of the universe
रक्ष्यतेrakṣyateis preserved; is guarded
दैवतैर्daivatairby the gods; by the deities; by the celestials
नित्यंnityaṃconstantly; always
यतस्yataswhence; from where
तद्tadthat; this
गाण्डिवंgāṇḍivaṃGandiva; the bow Gandiva; Arjuna's bow
धनुःdhanuḥbow; the bow-weapon; Gandiva
एषeṣathis; he
कृत्येkṛtyewhen a task; at the need arising
समुत्पन्नेsamutpannearisen; having occurred
तत्tatthat; this
तद्tadthat; this
धारयतेdhārayatesustains; bears
बलम्balamstrength; might
सहस्रशतसंख्येनsahasraśatasaṃkhyenanumbering a hundred thousand; counted in hundreds of thousands
प्राणेनprāṇenawith vital power; with breath
सततंsatataṃconstantly; always
ध्रुवम्dhruvamcertainly; assuredly
Translation

And, seeing the whole world whitened by these blades of grass, the king fell at the rishis' feet and said: 'Let me be blessed!' Ever inclined to grant protection to those who sought it, Nara then, O king, said to that king: 'Be obedient to the brahmins and be virtuous. Never do this again. O king, O tiger among kings, conqueror of hostile cities, a kshatriya mindful of the duties of his order should never be such as you, even in his heart. Filled with pride, never insult anyone on any pretext, whether he be lower or higher than you. Having gained wisdom, abandoning greed and pride, mastering your soul, restraining your passions, practicing forgiveness and humility, and becoming kindly disposed, O king, go and cherish your subjects, and never, under any circumstance, insult anyone. Be blessed, and with our leave depart from here, and never again act in such a way; by our command, always seek counsel from the brahmins as to what is good for you.' Then the king, worshipping the feet of these two illustrious rishis, returned to his city and from that time began to practice righteousness. Truly great was this feat performed by Nara of old. Narayana, again, surpasses Nara through many other qualities. Therefore, O king, besides such weapons as Kakudika, Shuka, Naka, Akshisantarjana, Santana, Nartana, Ghora, and Ashyamodaka, upon the string of the finest of bows called Gandiva, go to Dhananjaya, setting aside your pride. Struck by this weapon, men ever surrender their lives. Indeed, this weapon has other powers as well, corresponding to the eight passions, such as lust, anger, avarice, vanity, insolence, pride, malice, and self-love.

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42711723ea16 · published Jul 17, 2026, 5:18:56 AM UTC

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