Mahabharata · 7.25.30–31
॥
Devanāgarī
प्राग्ज्योतिषपतेर् नागः संनिपत्यापवृत्य च ॥
पार्श्वे दशार्णाधिपतेर् भित्त्वा नागम् अपातयत् ॥
तोमरैः सूर्यरश्म्याभैर् भगदत्तो ऽथ सप्तभिः ॥
जघान द्विरदस्थं तं शत्रुं प्रचलितासनम् ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
prāgjyotiṣapater nāgaḥ saṃnipatyāpavṛtya ca ||
pārśve daśārṇādhipater bhittvā nāgam apātayat ||
tomaraiḥ sūryaraśmyābhair bhagadatto 'tha saptabhiḥ ||
jaghāna dviradasthaṃ taṃ śatruṃ pracalitāsanam ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
प्राग्ज्योतिषपतेःprāgjyotiṣapateḥof the lord of Pragjyotisha [Bhagadatta]; of the lord of Pragjyotisha
नागःnāgaḥelephant; elephant
संनिपत्यsaṃnipatyahaving closed in [charged]; having charged
अपवृत्यapavṛtyahaving turned [wheeled and circled]; having wheeled around
चcaand; --
पार्श्वेpārśvein the flank; in the flank
दशार्णाधिपतेःdaśārṇādhipateḥof the lord of the Dasharnas; of the lord of the Dasharnas
भित्त्वाbhittvāhaving pierced [gored]; having pierced
नागम्nāgamthe elephant; the elephant
अपातयत्apātayatfelled [brought down]; felled
तोमरैःtomaraiḥwith tomara-lances; with tomara-darts
सूर्यरश्म्याभैःsūryaraśmyābhaiḥshining like the sun's rays; [gleaming] like the sun's rays
भगदत्तःbhagadattaḥBhagadatta; Bhagadatta
अथathathen; then
सप्तभिःsaptabhiḥwith seven [darts]; with seven
जघानjaghānaslew [killed]; slew
द्विरदस्थम्dviradasthamseated on the elephant; the one on the elephant
तम् शत्रुम्tam śatrumthat enemy; that enemy
प्रचलितासनम्pracalitāsanamwhose seat had reeled [tottering]; tottering [in his seat]
Translation
The elephant of the lord of Pragjyotisha, having charged and wheeled around, pierced the elephant of the lord of the Dasharnas in the flank and felled it. Then Bhagadatta, with seven tomara-darts gleaming like the sun's rays, slew that enemy on the elephant, tottering in his seat.
Version
18bda49edf88 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:11:21 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Bhagadatta's elephant does not meet its foe head-on but, "wheeling around," strikes the enemy elephant in the flank -- skill overcomes brute charge with a deft maneuver. Only after felling the elephant and unsteadying its rider does Bhagadatta finish him with darts. It is telling that even in a clash of giants, victory is decided not by force alone but by training and calculation. The verse teaches that even the greatest might is defeated not by matching resistance but by a skillful flanking blow to the unguarded side; that the art of maneuver stands above blind head-on force; and that a master first strips the opponent of his footing, and only then delivers the decisive stroke -- such is the deliberate, unhurried order of true skill, which prevails where raw strength would only collide head-on.