Mahabharata · 7.18.23–24
॥
Devanāgarī
ततः संशप्तकव्रातान् साश्वद्विपरथायुधान् ॥
उवाह भगवान् वायुः शुष्कपर्णचयान् इव ॥
उह्यमानास् तु ते राजन् बह्व् अशोभन्त वायुना ॥
प्रडीनाः पक्षिणः काले वृक्षेभ्य इव मारिष ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
tataḥ saṃśaptakavrātān sāśvadviparathāyudhān ||
uvāha bhagavān vāyuḥ śuṣkaparṇacayān iva ||
uhyamānās tu te rājan bahv aśobhanta vāyunā ||
praḍīnāḥ pakṣiṇaḥ kāle vṛkṣebhya iva māriṣa ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
ततःtataḥthen; thereupon
संशप्तकव्रातान्saṃśaptakavrātānthe hosts of samshaptakas; the multitudes of samshaptakas
साश्वद्विपरथायुधान्sāśvadviparathāyudhānwith horses, elephants, chariots and weapons; together with horses, elephants, chariots and weapons
उवाहuvāhacarried off [swept up]; swept up [and bore away]
भगवान् वायुःbhagavān vāyuḥlord Vayu [the wind-god]; sovereign Vayu
शुष्कपर्णचयान्śuṣkaparṇacayānheaps of dry leaves; [like] drifts of dry foliage
इवivaas if [like]; exactly like
उह्यमानाःuhyamānāḥbeing carried off [borne away]; whirled up
तुtuindeed; and lo
तेtethose; they
राजन्rājanO king; O sovereign
बहुbahugreatly [in abundance]; not a little
अशोभन्तaśobhantashone [were seen]; presented [a sight]
वायुनाvāyunāby the wind; by that wind
प्रडीनाःpraḍīnāḥtaken flight [risen up]; rising in flight
पक्षिणःpakṣiṇaḥbirds; [like] birds
कालेkāleat the [appointed] time; in their season
वृक्षेभ्यःvṛkṣebhyaḥfrom the trees; from the trees
इवivaas if [like]; exactly like
मारिषmāriṣaO worthy one; O honored one
Translation
Then the hosts of samshaptakas, together with their horses, elephants, chariots and weapons, were swept up and borne away by lord Vayu, exactly like drifts of dry foliage. Whirled up by the wind, O king, they presented no small a sight — like birds risen in flight from the trees in their season, O worthy one.
Version
289136c2bcfe · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:00:04 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Whole hosts with horses and elephants are borne off by the wind like dry leaves — an image in which all the seeming might of an army proves weightless before the force of an element obedient to the warrior of dharma. It is significant that Vayu is called 'sovereign' (bhagavan): behind Arjuna's weapon acts not a blind force but the divine principle of wind, answering his call. And the comparison to birds taking flight 'in their season' recalls again: everything has its allotted time, and the hour of these warriors has come. The verse teaches that power which seems unshakable is light as a fallen leaf before the higher force; and that one who acts in accord with dharma gains as allies the very elements of the world, before which the pride of numbers is but a drift of leaves in the wind.