Mahabharata · 7.21.21–22
॥
Devanāgarī
निकृतो हि महाबाहुर् अमितौजा वृकोदरः ॥
वरान् वरान् हि कौन्तेयो रथोदारान् हनिष्यति ॥
असिना धनुषा शक्त्या हयैर् नागैर् नरै रथैः ॥
आयसेन च दण्डेन व्रातान् व्रातान् हनिष्यति ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
nikṛto hi mahābāhur amitaujā vṛkodaraḥ ||
varān varān hi kaunteyo rathodārān haniṣyati ||
asinā dhanuṣā śaktyā hayair nāgair narai rathaiḥ ||
āyasena ca daṇḍena vrātān vrātān haniṣyati ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
निकृतःnikṛtaḥwronged [deceived by treachery]; wronged by treachery
हिhiindeed; indeed
महाबाहुःmahābāhuḥmighty-armed; mighty-armed
अमितौजाःamitaujāḥof boundless might; [a man] of boundless might
वृकोदरःvṛkodaraḥVrikodara [Bhima]; Vrikodara
वरान् वरान्varān varānthe very best [one after another of the foremost]; the foremost [warriors], one after another
हिhiindeed; —
कौन्तेयःkaunteyaḥthe son of Kunti [Bhima]; Kaunteya
रथोदारान्rathodārānglorious chariot-warriors; glorious chariot-fighters
हनिष्यतिhaniṣyatiwill slay [strike down]; will strike down
असिनाasināwith a sword; with a sword
धनुषाdhanuṣāwith a bow; with a bow
शक्त्याśaktyāwith a shakti-spear; with a spear
हयैःhayaiḥwith horses; with horses
नागैःnāgaiḥwith elephants; with elephants
नरैःnaraiḥwith men [footmen]; with men
रथैःrathaiḥwith chariots; with chariots
आयसेनāyasenairon; iron
चcaand; —
दण्डेनdaṇḍenawith a club [mace]; with a club
व्रातान् व्रातान्vrātān vrātāntroop after troop [host after host]; troop after troop
हनिष्यतिhaniṣyatiwill slay [crush]; will crush
Translation
"For the mighty-armed Vrikodara, a man of boundless might, wronged by treachery, Kaunteya — he will strike down the foremost chariot-fighters one after another. With sword, bow, spear, horses, elephants, men, chariots, and an iron club he will crush troop after troop."
Version
e6d6d2bacf9f · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:11:21 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Duryodhana calls Bhima "wronged by treachery" — and once more, without meaning to, testifies against himself: the treachery was his own, and its fruit will be relentless vengeance. The catalog of everything with which Bhima will strike — from sword to iron club — paints not merely a warrior but the very instrument of retribution. It is significant that this foreboding comes from the mouth of the wrongdoer himself: he understands most clearly of all what force he has awakened. The verse teaches that an inflicted injury does not fade but ripens into avenging might; that treachery against one strong in spirit does not disarm him but arms him with resolve; and that the instigator of wrong is often the first to foresee the inevitability of reckoning — for he knows better than anyone how deeply he wounded.