Mahabharata
Bhīṣma-vadha (022) (Krishna Points Out Bhishma to Arjuna)6.22.9-13
5403 / 15823
Mahabharata · 6.22.9-13
Devanāgarī

सहस्रसूर्यः शतकिङ्किणीकः; परार्ध्यजाम्बूनदहेमचित्रः ॥
रथो ऽर्जुनस्याग्निर् इवार्चिमाली; विभ्राजते श्वेतहयः सुचक्रः ॥
तम् आस्थितः केशवसंगृहीतं; कपिध्वजं गाण्डिवबाणहस्तः ॥
धनुर्धरो यस्य समः पृथिव्यां; न विद्यते नो भविता वा कदा चित् ॥
उद्वर्तयिष्यंस् तव पुत्रसेनाम्; अतीव रौद्रं स बिभर्ति रूपम् ॥
अनायुधो यः सुभुजो भुजाभ्यां; नराश्वनागान् युधि भस्म कुर्यात् ॥
स भीमसेनः सहितो यमाभ्यां; वृकोदरो वीररथस्य गोप्ता ॥
तं प्रेक्ष्य मत्तर्षभसिंहखेलं; लोके महेन्द्रप्रतिमानकल्पम् ॥
समीक्ष्य सेनाग्रगतं दुरासदं; प्रविव्यथुः पङ्कगता इवोष्ट्राः ॥
वृकोदरं वारणराजदर्पं; योधास् त्वदीया भयविग्नसत्त्वाः ॥

Transliteration (IAST)

sahasrasūryaḥ śatakiṅkiṇīkaḥ; parārdhyajāmbūnadahemacitraḥ ||
ratho 'rjunasyāgnir ivārcimālī; vibhrājate śvetahayaḥ sucakraḥ ||
tam āsthitaḥ keśavasaṃgṛhītaṃ; kapidhvajaṃ gāṇḍivabāṇahastaḥ ||
dhanurdharo yasya samaḥ pṛthivyāṃ; na vidyate no bhavitā vā kadā cit ||
udvartayiṣyaṃs tava putrasenām; atīva raudraṃ sa bibharti rūpam ||
anāyudho yaḥ subhujo bhujābhyāṃ; narāśvanāgān yudhi bhasma kuryāt ||
sa bhīmasenaḥ sahito yamābhyāṃ; vṛkodaro vīrarathasya goptā ||
taṃ prekṣya mattarṣabhasiṃhakhelaṃ; loke mahendrapratimānakalpam ||
samīkṣya senāgragataṃ durāsadaṃ; pravivyathuḥ paṅkagatā ivoṣṭrāḥ ||
vṛkodaraṃ vāraṇarājadarpaṃ; yodhās tvadīyā bhayavignasattvāḥ ||

Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
सहस्रसूर्यः शतकिङ्किणीकःsahasrasūryaḥ śatakiṅkiṇīkaḥradiant as a thousand suns, with a hundred bells; shining with a thousand suns, with a hundred little bells
परार्ध्यजाम्बूनदहेमचित्रःparārdhyajāmbūnadahemacitraḥadorned with the finest Jambunada gold; decked with excellent Jambunada gold
रथो ऽर्जुनस्याग्निर् इवार्चिमालीratho 'rjunasyāgnir ivārcimālīArjuna's chariot, like a blazing fire; Arjuna's ratha, like a flaming fire
विभ्राजते श्वेतहयः सुचक्रःvibhrājate śvetahayaḥ sucakraḥshone forth, white-horsed, with fine wheels; gleamed, with white horses
तम् आस्थितः केशवसंगृहीतंtam āsthitaḥ keśavasaṃgṛhītaṃstanding upon it, held by Keshava; mounted upon it, guided by Keshava
कपिध्वजं गाण्डिवबाणहस्तःkapidhvajaṃ gāṇḍivabāṇahastaḥbearing the monkey banner, Gandiva and arrows in hand; with the standard of the monkey, Gandiva in hand
धनुर्धरो यस्य समः पृथिव्यांdhanurdharo yasya samaḥ pṛthivyāṃthe wielder of the bow, whose equal on earth; the bearer of the bow, whose equal on earth
न विद्यतेna vidyatedoes not exist; is not found
नो भविता वा कदा चित्no bhavitā vā kadā citand will never be; and shall never come to be
उद्वर्तयिष्यंस् तव पुत्रसेनाम्udvartayiṣyaṃs tava putrasenāmintending to overturn the army of your son; wishing to crush your son's forces
अतीव रौद्रं स बिभर्ति रूपम्atīva raudraṃ sa bibharti rūpamhe bore an exceedingly terrible form; he assumed a most fearsome aspect
अनायुधो यः सुभुजोanāyudho yaḥ subhujounarmed, though mighty-armed; even without weapons, mighty-armed
भुजाभ्यांbhujābhyāṃwith his two arms; with his own arms
नराश्वनागान् युधिnarāśvanāgān yudhimen, horses, elephants in battle; warriors, steeds, elephants in the fight
भस्म कुर्यात्bhasma kuryātcould reduce to ashes; could turn to dust
स भीमसेनः सहितो यमाभ्यांsa bhīmasenaḥ sahito yamābhyāṃthat Bhimasena, together with the twins; Bhima, joined by the two Yamas
वृकोदरो वीररथस्य गोप्ताvṛkodaro vīrarathasya goptāVrikodara, guardian of the hero's chariot; Bhima, protector of the hero's ratha
तं प्रेक्ष्य मत्तर्षभसिंहखेलंtaṃ prekṣya mattarṣabhasiṃhakhelaṃbeholding him, sporting like a maddened bull-lion; gazing on him as a lion-bull
लोके महेन्द्रप्रतिमानकल्पम्loke mahendrapratimānakalpamin the world, comparable to Mahendra; matched with Indra in the world
समीक्ष्य सेनाग्रगतं दुरासदंsamīkṣya senāgragataṃ durāsadaṃseeing him at the head of the army, unassailable; beholding the unapproachable one in the vanguard
प्रविव्यथुः पङ्कगता इवोष्ट्राःpravivyathuḥ paṅkagatā ivoṣṭrāḥthey trembled like camels mired in mud; they shook like camels stuck in mire
वृकोदरं वारणराजदर्पंvṛkodaraṃ vāraṇarājadarpaṃVrikodara, crusher of the pride of royal elephants; Bhima, breaker of elephants' pride
योधास् त्वदीयाyodhās tvadīyāyour warriors; your fighters
भयविग्नसत्त्वाःbhayavignasattvāḥtheir spirits shaken with fear; inwardly troubled by fear
Translation

Arjuna's chariot, radiant as a thousand suns, hung with a hundred little bells, adorned with the finest Jambunada gold, drawn by white horses and set on splendid wheels, blazed like a fire of flame. Upon it stood the bowman with the monkey banner, Gandiva and arrows in his hands, guided by Keshava; and this archer's equal exists nowhere on earth, nor shall ever be. Intending to overturn the army of your son, he assumed an exceedingly terrible aspect. And Bhimasena, Vrikodara, together with the twins, guarded the hero's chariot; this mighty-armed one, even unarmed, could with his two arms alone reduce men, horses, and elephants to ashes in battle. Seeing him at the head of the army, unassailable, sporting like a maddened lion among bulls, comparable to Mahendra in this world, crushing the pride of royal elephants, your warriors trembled like camels mired in mud, their hearts shaken with fear.

Version

fbdf02a09162 · published Jul 17, 2026, 8:55:05 PM UTC

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