Mahabharata · 7.25.22–23
॥
Devanāgarī
ततः सर्वस्य सैन्यस्य नादः समभवन् महान् ॥
हा हा विनिहतो भीमः कुञ्जरेणेति मारिष ॥
तेन नादेन वित्रस्ता पाण्डवानाम् अनीकिनी ॥
सहसाभ्यद्रवद् राजन् यत्र तस्थौ वृकोदरः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
tataḥ sarvasya sainyasya nādaḥ samabhavan mahān ||
hā hā vinihato bhīmaḥ kuñjareṇeti māriṣa ||
tena nādena vitrastā pāṇḍavānām anīkinī ||
sahasābhyadravad rājan yatra tasthau vṛkodaraḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
ततःtataḥthen; then
सर्वस्य सैन्यस्यsarvasya sainyasyaof the whole army; [of] the whole army
नादःnādaḥa cry [clamor]; a cry
समभवत्samabhavatarose; arose
महान्mahāngreat; great
हा हाhā hāalas, alas; "alas, alas!
विनिहतःvinihataḥslain [struck down]; struck down
भीमःbhīmaḥBhima
कुञ्जरेणkuñjareṇaby the elephant; by the elephant!"
इतिitithus [with a cry]; —
मारिषmāriṣaO venerable one; O worthy one
तेन नादेनtena nādenaby that cry; by that cry
वित्रस्ताvitrastāterrified; seized with terror
पाण्डवानाम्pāṇḍavānāmof the Pandavas; of the Pandavas
अनीकिनीanīkinīthe host [army]; the host
सहसाsahasāat once [suddenly]; at once
अभ्यद्रवत्abhyadravatsurged [rushed]; surged
राजन्rājanO king; O sovereign
यत्रyatrato where; to where
तस्थौtasthaustood; stood
वृकोदरःvṛkodaraḥVrikodara [Bhima]; Vrikodara
Translation
Then a great cry arose from the whole army: "Alas, alas! Bhima is struck down by the elephant!" — O worthy one. Seized with terror by that cry, the host of the Pandavas at once surged, O sovereign, to where Vrikodara stood.
Version
0fce31f68038 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:11:21 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
A single cry — "Bhima is struck down!" — and the whole army rushes toward him in terror. Thus is shown how much a single beloved leader means to a host: news of his fall shakes everyone harder than any blow. It is telling that the fear is born of something not yet accomplished — of rumor, not certainty. The verse teaches that in certain men the hope of an entire army is concentrated, and a threat to them is felt as a threat to all; that rumor of a beloved leader's death acts more powerfully than weapons themselves, instantly shaking a multitude; and that love and fear for one man can rouse thousands at once — evidence of how firmly leader and followers are bound by ties stronger than fear for oneself.