Mahabharata · 7.19.19–20
॥
Devanāgarī
नीलाञ्जनचयप्रख्यो मदान्धो द्विरदो बभौ ॥
अभिवृष्टो महामेघैर् यथा स्यात् पर्वतो महान् ॥
नानानृपतिभिर् वीरैर् विविधायुधभूषणैः ॥
समन्वितः पार्वतीयैः शक्रो देवगणैर् इव ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
nīlāñjanacayaprakhyo madāndho dvirado babhau ||
abhivṛṣṭo mahāmeghair yathā syāt parvato mahān ||
nānānṛpatibhir vīrair vividhāyudhabhūṣaṇaiḥ ||
samanvitaḥ pārvatīyaiḥ śakro devagaṇair iva ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
नीलाञ्जनचयप्रख्यःnīlāñjanacayaprakhyaḥappearing like a heap of dark antimony; in aspect like a mound of dark antimony
मदान्धःmadāndhaḥblinded by rut [maddened with musth]; blinded with musth [rut]
द्विरदःdviradaḥelephant [two-tusked]; [that] elephant
बभौbabhaushone [appeared]; presented [the aspect]
अभिवृष्टःabhivṛṣṭaḥrained upon [beneath rain]; beneath a downpour
महामेघैःmahāmeghaiḥby great clouds; [from] great clouds
यथाyathāas if [like]; just as
स्यात्syātwould be [appeared as]; would be
पर्वतः महान्parvataḥ mahāna great mountain; [like] a great mountain
नानानृपतिभिःnānānṛpatibhiḥby various kings [rulers]; by kings of many kinds
वीरैःvīraiḥheroes [warriors]; warriors
विविधायुधभूषणैःvividhāyudhabhūṣaṇaiḥwith varied weapons and ornaments; [in] varied weapons and adornment
समन्वितःsamanvitaḥaccompanied [surrounded]; surrounded
पार्वतीयैःpārvatīyaiḥby mountaineers; by mountaineers
शक्रःśakraḥShakra [Indra]; [like] Indra
देवगणैःdevagaṇaiḥby hosts of gods; by hosts of gods
इवivaas if [like]; just as
Translation
The elephant, in aspect like a mound of dark antimony, blinded with musth, presented the aspect of a great mountain beneath a downpour from great clouds. Surrounded by kings of many kinds, warriors in varied weapons and adornment, and by mountaineers, [Bhagadatta was] like Indra among the hosts of gods.
Version
7e6704b8709b · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:00:04 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The dark elephant, maddened with musth, is likened to a mountain beneath a thundercloud, and Bhagadatta himself among the kings to Indra among the gods. The images raise the warrior almost to the rank of a celestial, but at the foundation of the picture stands an elephant "blinded by musth" — fearsome might stripped of sight and restraint. It is telling that greatness here rests on blind force — beautiful from afar and senseless up close. The verse teaches that might, however divine it may seem from outside, is dangerous when it is blind; that likeness to the gods does not make a warrior a god if he carries unruled fury into battle; and that true greatness lies not in strength blinded by passion, but in strength guided by clear reason and by truth.