Mahabharata · 7.25.46–47
॥
Devanāgarī
तस्मिन् निपतिते वीरे सौभद्रो द्रौपदीसुताः ॥
चेकितानो धृष्टकेतुर् युयुत्सुश् चार्दयन् द्विपम् ॥
त एनं शरधाराभिर् धाराभिर् इव तोयदाः ॥
सिषिचुर् भैरवान् नादान् विनदन्तो जिघांसवः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
tasmin nipatite vīre saubhadro draupadīsutāḥ ||
cekitāno dhṛṣṭaketur yuyutsuś cārdayan dvipam ||
ta enaṃ śaradhārābhir dhārābhir iva toyadāḥ ||
siṣicur bhairavān nādān vinadanto jighāṃsavaḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
तस्मिन्tasminwhen he; when he
निपतितेnipatitefell [collapsed]; fell
वीरेvīrethe hero [warrior]; [this] warrior
सौभद्रःsaubhadraḥthe son of Subhadra [Abhimanyu]; the son of Subhadra [Abhimanyu]
द्रौपदीसुताःdraupadīsutāḥthe sons of Draupadi; the sons of Draupadi
चेकितानःcekitānaḥChekitana; Chekitana
धृष्टकेतुःdhṛṣṭaketuḥDhrishtaketu; Dhrishtaketu
युयुत्सुःyuyutsuḥYuyutsu; Yuyutsu
चcaand; --
अर्दयन्ardayanharassed [tormented]; pressed hard
द्विपम्dvipamthe elephant; the elephant
तेtethey; they
एनम्enamhim [the elephant]; him
शरधाराभिःśaradhārābhiḥwith streams of arrows; with streams of arrows
धाराभिःdhārābhiḥwith streams [of rain]; [like] streams [of rain]
इवivaas if [like]; just like
तोयदाःtoyadāḥrain clouds [clouds]; clouds
सिषिचुःsiṣicuḥdrenched [soaked]; drenched
भैरवान् नादान्bhairavān nādānfearsome cries [terrible shouts]; fearsome cries
विनदन्तःvinadantaḥuttering [letting out]; letting out
जिघांसवःjighāṃsavaḥeager to kill [bent on slaying]; bent on slaying
Translation
When that warrior, the son of Subhadra [Abhimanyu], fell, the sons of Draupadi, Chekitana, Dhrishtaketu, and Yuyutsu pressed hard upon the elephant. They drenched it with streams of arrows, like clouds with streams of rain, letting out fearsome cries, bent on slaying it.
Version
2353ef8e8872 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:11:21 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Against a single elephant many heroes converge at once -- Abhimanyu, the sons of Draupadi, Chekitana, Dhrishtaketu, Yuyutsu: the formidable Bhagadatta can be overcome only by joined forces. Drenching the elephant with arrows, "like clouds with streams of rain," they show the united effort of many against one who cannot be overcome alone. It is telling that the finest heroes of the Pandavas are forced to gather together against a single opponent. The verse teaches that there are enemies who cannot be defeated alone, and then wisdom counsels joining forces; that the concord of many, striking as a single downpour, can break even the unconquerable; and that in this combining of valors there is no diminishing of anyone's honor -- on the contrary, to acknowledge the need for allies against the greatest of foes is both prudence and strength.