Mahabharata
Saṃśaptaka-vadha-parva (rudhira-nadī, dvandva-yuddha, abhimanyu-parākrama): The River of Blood, Duels, and Abhimanyu's Valor7.13.4–7
6125 / 15823
Mahabharata · 7.13.4–7
Devanāgarī

रथिनः सादिनश् चैव नागान् अश्वान् पदातिनः ॥
रौद्रा हस्तवता मुक्ताः प्रमथ्नन्ति स्म सायकाः ॥
नानद्यमानः पर्जन्यः सानिलः शुचिसंक्षये ॥
अश्मवर्षम् इवावर्षत् परेषाम् आवहद् भयम् ॥
व्यचरत् स तदा राजन् सेनां विक्षोभयन् प्रभुः ॥
वर्धयाम् आस संत्रासं शात्रवाणाम् अमानुषम् ॥
तस्य विद्युद् इवाभ्रेषु चापं हेमपरिष्कृतम् ॥
भ्रमद् रथाम्बुदे तस्मिन् दृश्यते स्म पुनः पुनः ॥

Transliteration (IAST)

rathinaḥ sādinaś caiva nāgān aśvān padātinaḥ ||
raudrā hastavatā muktāḥ pramathnanti sma sāyakāḥ ||
nānadyamānaḥ parjanyaḥ sānilaḥ śucisaṃkṣaye ||
aśmavarṣam ivāvarṣat pareṣām āvahad bhayam ||
vyacarat sa tadā rājan senāṃ vikṣobhayan prabhuḥ ||
vardhayām āsa saṃtrāsaṃ śātravāṇām amānuṣam ||
tasya vidyud ivābhreṣu cāpaṃ hemapariṣkṛtam ||
bhramad rathāmbude tasmin dṛśyate sma punaḥ punaḥ ||

Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
रथिनःrathinaḥchariot-warriors; rathins
सादिनःsādinaḥhorsemen; riders
caand; also
एवevaindeed; just
नागान्nāgānelephants; elephants
अश्वान्aśvānhorses; steeds
पदातिनःpadātinaḥfootmen; infantry
रौद्राःraudrāḥfierce [terrible]; dreadful
हस्तवताhastavatāwith a skilled hand [true aim]; [by Drona,] deft of hand
मुक्ताःmuktāḥreleased [loosed]; sent
प्रमथ्नन्तिpramathnanticrush [shatter]; mangle
स्मsmaindeed [truly]; [verily]
सायकाःsāyakāḥarrows; [battle] arrows
नानद्यमानःnānadyamānaḥthundering [rumbling]; roaring
पर्जन्यःparjanyaḥcloud [Parjanya]; [storm] cloud
सानिलःsānilaḥwith wind; [borne] by the wind
शुचिसंक्षयेśucisaṃkṣayeat the end of the hot [season]; at the close of summer [before the rains]
अश्मवर्षम्aśmavarṣama rain of stones [hail]; a shower of stones
इवivalike; as
अवर्षत्avarṣatpoured down [rained]; showered
परेषाम्pareṣāmupon the enemies; [upon] the foes
आवहत्āvahatbrought [instilled]; induced
भयम्bhayamfear; terror
व्यचरत्vyacaratroamed [ranged]; coursed
सःsaḥhe [Drona]; that one
तदाtadāthen; at that hour
राजन्rājanO king; O sovereign
सेनाम्senāmthe army; the host
विक्षोभयन्vikṣobhayanthrowing into confusion [shaking]; convulsing
प्रभुःprabhuḥthe mighty one [lord]; the sovereign
वर्धयाम्vardhayāmincreased [augmented]; [auxiliary: increased]
आसāsa[auxiliary verb]; [caused]
संत्रासम्saṃtrāsamterror [dread]; fear
शात्रवाणाम्śātravāṇāmof the enemies; [of] the foes
अमानुषम्amānuṣamsuperhuman [supernatural]; beyond human measure
तस्यtasyahis; [of] him
विद्युत्vidyutlightning [flash]; [as] lightning
इवivalike; as
अभ्रेषुabhreṣuamong the clouds; [in] the clouds
चापम्cāpambow; [his] bow
हेमपरिष्कृतम्hemapariṣkṛtamadorned with gold; gold-wrought
भ्रमत्bhramatflashing [whirling]; flitting
रथाम्बुदेrathāmbudein [his] chariot-cloud; [in] the chariot, [like] a cloud
तस्मिन्tasminin that; in [that very]
दृश्यतेdṛśyatewas seen [visible]; appeared to sight
स्मsmaindeed [truly]; [verily]
पुनः पुनःpunaḥ punaḥagain and again; time after time
Translation

Fierce arrows, loosed by [Drona,] deft of hand, mangled chariot-warriors, horsemen, elephants, horses, and footmen. Like a thundering cloud borne by the wind at the close of summer before the rains, he poured down a shower of stones, striking terror into the enemies. He, the mighty one, roamed then, O king, throwing the army into confusion, augmenting a superhuman dread among the foes. His bow, adorned with gold, flitted in that chariot resembling a cloud, like lightning among clouds, appearing to sight again and again.

Version

9634ca55a87d · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:00:03 PM UTC

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