Mahabharata
Maṇḍalavyūhaḥ (Bhīṣma's Maṇḍala Formation)6.77.33-44
5739 / 15823
Mahabharata · 6.77.33-44
Devanāgarī

अर्जुनो ऽथ भृशं क्रुद्धो वार्ष्णेयम् इदम् अब्रवीत् ॥
पश्य माधव सैन्यानि धार्तराष्ट्रस्य संयुगे ॥
व्यूढानि व्यूहविदुषा गाङ्गेयेन महात्मना ॥
युद्धाभिकामाञ् शूरांश् च पश्य माधव दंशितान् ॥
त्रिगर्तराजं सहितं भ्रातृभिः पश्य केशव ॥
अद्यैतान् पातयिष्यामि पश्यतस् ते जनार्दन ॥
य इमे मां यदुश्रेष्ठ योद्धुकामा रणाजिरे ॥
एवम् उक्त्वा तु कौन्तेयो धनुर्ज्याम् अवमृज्य च ॥
ववर्ष शरवर्षाणि नराधिपगणान् प्रति ॥
ते ऽपि तं परमेष्वासाः शरवर्षैर् अपूरयन् ॥
तडागम् इव धाराभिर् यथा प्रावृषि तोयदा ॥
हाहाकारो महान् आसीत् तव सैन्ये विशां पते ॥
छाद्यमानौ भृशं कृष्णौ शरैर् दृष्ट्वा महारणे ॥
देवा देवर्षयश् चैव गन्धर्वाश् च महोरगाः ॥
विस्मयं परमं जग्मुर् दृष्ट्वा कृष्णौ तथागतौ ॥
ततः क्रुद्धो ऽर्जुनो राजन्न् ऐन्द्रम् अस्त्रम् उदीरयत् ॥
तत्राद्भुतम् अपश्याम विजयस्य पराक्रमम् ॥
शस्त्रवृष्टिं परैर् मुक्तां शरौघैर् यद् अवारयत् ॥
न च तत्राप्य् अनिर्भिन्नः कश् चिद् आसीद् विशां पते ॥
तेषां राजसहस्राणां हयानां दन्तिनां तथा ॥
द्वाभ्यां त्रिभिः शरैश् चान्यान् पार्थो विव्याध मारिष ॥
ते हन्यमानाः पार्थेन भीष्मं शांतनवं ययुः ॥
अगाधे मज्जमानानां भीष्मस् त्राताभवत् तदा ॥
आपतद्भिस् तु तैस् तत्र प्रभग्नं तावकं बलम् ॥
संचुक्षुभे महाराज वातैर् इव महार्णवः ॥

Transliteration (IAST)

arjuno 'tha bhṛśaṃ kruddho vārṣṇeyam idam abravīt ||
paśya mādhava sainyāni dhārtarāṣṭrasya saṃyuge ||
vyūḍhāni vyūhaviduṣā gāṅgeyena mahātmanā ||
yuddhābhikāmāñ śūrāṃś ca paśya mādhava daṃśitān ||
trigartarājaṃ sahitaṃ bhrātṛbhiḥ paśya keśava ||
adyaitān pātayiṣyāmi paśyatas te janārdana ||
ya ime māṃ yaduśreṣṭha yoddhukāmā raṇājire ||
evam uktvā tu kaunteyo dhanurjyām avamṛjya ca ||
vavarṣa śaravarṣāṇi narādhipagaṇān prati ||
te 'pi taṃ parameṣvāsāḥ śaravarṣair apūrayan ||
taḍāgam iva dhārābhir yathā prāvṛṣi toyadā ||
hāhākāro mahān āsīt tava sainye viśāṃ pate ||
chādyamānau bhṛśaṃ kṛṣṇau śarair dṛṣṭvā mahāraṇe ||
devā devarṣayaś caiva gandharvāś ca mahoragāḥ ||
vismayaṃ paramaṃ jagmur dṛṣṭvā kṛṣṇau tathāgatau ||
tataḥ kruddho 'rjuno rājann aindram astram udīrayat ||
tatrādbhutam apaśyāma vijayasya parākramam ||
śastravṛṣṭiṃ parair muktāṃ śaraughair yad avārayat ||
na ca tatrāpy anirbhinnaḥ kaś cid āsīd viśāṃ pate ||
teṣāṃ rājasahasrāṇāṃ hayānāṃ dantināṃ tathā ||
dvābhyāṃ tribhiḥ śaraiś cānyān pārtho vivyādha māriṣa ||
te hanyamānāḥ pārthena bhīṣmaṃ śāṃtanavaṃ yayuḥ ||
agādhe majjamānānāṃ bhīṣmas trātābhavat tadā ||
āpatadbhis tu tais tatra prabhagnaṃ tāvakaṃ balam ||
saṃcukṣubhe mahārāja vātair iva mahārṇavaḥ ||

Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
अर्जुनः अथ भृशम् क्रुद्धःarjunaḥ atha bhṛśam kruddhaḥArjuna then, greatly enraged; after this, furious Arjuna
वार्ष्णेयम् इदम् अब्रवीत्vārṣṇeyam idam abravītsaid this to Varshneya; spoke this to Krishna
पश्य माधव सैन्यानिpaśya mādhava sainyānilook, Madhava, at the armies; behold, Krishna, the forces
धार्तराष्ट्रस्य संयुगेdhārtarāṣṭrasya saṃyugeof Dhartarashtra in the battle; of the sons of Dhritarashtra in the fight
व्यूढानि व्यूहविदुषाvyūḍhāni vyūhaviduṣāarrayed by the expert in formations; set up by the master of arrays
गाङ्गेयेन महात्मनाgāṅgeyena mahātmanāby the magnanimous Gangeya; by the great Bhishma
युद्धाभिकामान् शूरान् चyuddhābhikāmān śūrān caand heroes desiring battle; warriors longing for combat
पश्य माधव दंशितान्paśya mādhava daṃśitānlook, Madhava, at the armed ones; behold, Krishna, the armored ones
त्रिगर्तराजम् सहितम्trigartarājam sahitamthe king of the Trigartas together; the lord of the Trigartas with
भ्रातृभिः पश्य केशवbhrātṛbhiḥ paśya keśavawith his brothers, look, Keshava; with his brothers, Keshava
अद्य एतान् पातयिष्यामिadya etān pātayiṣyāmitoday I shall lay these low; now I shall bring them down
पश्यतः ते जनार्दनpaśyataḥ te janārdanabefore your eyes, Janardana; while you watch, Krishna
ये इमे माम् यदुश्रेष्ठye ime mām yaduśreṣṭhathose who against me, best of the Yadus; these, o best of the Yadus
योद्धुकामाः रणाजिरेyoddhukāmāḥ raṇājirewish to fight me on the field of battle; want to fight in the arena of war
एवम् उक्त्वा तु कौन्तेयःevam uktvā tu kaunteyaḥhaving thus spoken, the Kaunteya; having said this, the son of Kunti
धनुर्ज्याम् अवमृज्य चdhanurjyām avamṛjya caand having drawn the bowstring; having drawn along the bowstring
ववर्ष शरवर्षाणिvavarṣa śaravarṣāṇipoured down showers of arrows; unleashed rains of arrows
नराधिपगणान् प्रतिnarādhipagaṇān pratiagainst the assembled kings; upon the groups of lords of men
ते अपि तम् परमेष्वासाःte api tam parameṣvāsāḥand those excellent archers, in turn; they too, great bowmen
शरवर्षैः अपूरयन्śaravarṣaiḥ apūrayanfilled him with showers of arrows; flooded him with rains of arrows
तडागम् इव धाराभिःtaḍāgam iva dhārābhiḥlike a pond with streams; like a lake with jets of water
यथा प्रावृषि तोयदाःyathā prāvṛṣi toyadāḥlike clouds in the rainy season; like clouds in the rainy time
हाहाकारः महान् आसीत्hāhākāraḥ mahān āsīta great cry of 'alas' arose; a loud shout rose up
तव सैन्ये विशां पतेtava sainye viśāṃ patein your army, lord of men; in your forces, sovereign
छाद्यमानौ भृशम् कृष्णौchādyamānau bhṛśam kṛṣṇauthe two Krishnas heavily covered; Krishna and Arjuna showered
शरैः दृष्ट्वा महारणेśaraiḥ dṛṣṭvā mahāraṇeseeing them under arrows in the great battle; seeing them beneath arrows in the fight
देवाः देवर्षयः च एवdevāḥ devarṣayaḥ ca evathe gods and the divine sages; the devas and the deva-rishis
गन्धर्वाः च महोरगाःgandharvāḥ ca mahoragāḥand the gandharvas, the great serpents; the gandharvas and the mahauragas
विस्मयम् परमम् जग्मुःvismayam paramam jagmuḥfell into supreme astonishment; felt the greatest amazement
दृष्ट्वा कृष्णौ तथागतौdṛṣṭvā kṛṣṇau tathāgatauseeing the two Krishnas in such a state; seeing the Krishnas thus proceeding
ततः क्रुद्धः अर्जुनः राजन्tataḥ kruddhaḥ arjunaḥ rājanthen enraged Arjuna, o king; afterward furious Arjuna
ऐन्द्रम् अस्त्रम् उदीरयत्aindram astram udīrayatinvoked the aindra weapon; roused the weapon of Indra
तत्र अद्भुतम् अपश्यामtatra adbhutam apaśyāmathere we saw something wondrous; then we witnessed a marvel
विजयस्य पराक्रमम्vijayasya parākramamthe valor of Vijaya; the feat of Arjuna
शस्त्रवृष्टिम् परैः मुक्ताम्śastravṛṣṭim paraiḥ muktāmthe shower of weapons unleashed by the foes; the rain of weapons from the adversaries
शरौघैः यद् अवारयत्śaraughaiḥ yad avārayatwhich he stopped with streams of arrows; which he blocked with masses of arrows
न च तत्र अपि अनिर्भिन्नःna ca tatra api anirbhinnaḥand there not even one unpierced; there remained none unpierced
कः चिद् आसीत् विशां पतेkaḥ cid āsīt viśāṃ patewas there, lord of men; there was no one, sovereign
तेषाम् राजसहस्राणाम्teṣām rājasahasrāṇāmof these thousands of kings; among those royal thousands
हयानाम् दन्तिनाम् तथाhayānām dantinām tathāand of horses and elephants likewise; of horses and war elephants
द्वाभ्याम् त्रिभिः शरैः चdvābhyām tribhiḥ śaraiḥ cawith two, three arrows, and; with two or three arrows
अन्यान् पार्थः विव्याधanyān pārthaḥ vivyādhaPartha pierced the others; Arjuna wounded the others
मारिषmāriṣao venerable one; o lord
ते हन्यमानाः पार्थेनte hanyamānāḥ pārthenathey, being struck by Partha; being smitten by Arjuna
भीष्मम् शांतनवम् ययुःbhīṣmam śāṃtanavam yayuḥwent to Bhishma, son of Shantanu; rushed toward the son of Shantanu
अगाधे मज्जमानानाम्agādhe majjamānānāmfor those sinking in the abyss; for those submerging in the depths
भीष्मः त्राता अभवत् तदाbhīṣmaḥ trātā abhavat tadāBhishma then became their protector; Bhishma became their savior
आपतद्भिः तु तैः तत्रāpatadbhiḥ tu taiḥ tatrawhen they were rushing there; when they were charging in
प्रभग्नम् तावकम् बलम्prabhagnam tāvakam balamyour shattered army; your broken force
संचुक्षुभे महाराजsaṃcukṣubhe mahārājawas thrown into turmoil, great king; was shaken, sovereign
वातैः इव महार्णवःvātaiḥ iva mahārṇavaḥlike the great ocean by the winds; like the sea from the winds
Translation

Then Arjuna, greatly enraged, said to Varshneya: 'Look, Madhava, at the armies of Dhartarashtra in the battle, arrayed by the magnanimous Gangeya, expert in battle formations. Look, Madhava, at these armed heroes, longing for battle. Behold, Keshava, the king of the Trigartas together with his brothers. Today, Janardana, before your very eyes, I shall lay low those who wish to fight me on this field of battle, o best of the Yadus.' Having said this, the Kaunteya drew along his bowstring and poured down showers of arrows upon the assembled kings. But those excellent archers, in turn, flooded him with rains of arrows, as clouds in the rainy season fill a pond with their streams. In your army, o lord of men, a great cry of 'alas!' rose up, when in the great battle they saw the two Krishnas heavily covered with arrows. The gods, the divine sages, the gandharvas, and the great serpents fell into supreme astonishment, seeing the two Krishnas in such a state. Then enraged Arjuna, o king, invoked the aindra weapon, and there we witnessed the wondrous valor of Vijaya: the shower of weapons unleashed by the enemies, he stopped with streams of arrows. There remained no one unpierced there, o lord of men: Partha wounded thousands of kings with two or three arrows each, as well as horses, elephants, and other warriors, o venerable one. Struck down by Partha, they rushed toward Bhishma, son of Shantanu; and Bhishma then became the protector of those who were sinking into the abyss. As they came rushing in, your shattered army was thrown into turmoil, great king, like the great ocean by the winds.'

Version

8445c66fe182 · published Jul 17, 2026, 9:38:21 PM UTC

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