Mahabharata · 7.30.22–23
॥
Devanāgarī
तं पद्मनिकराकारं पद्मपत्रनिभेक्षणम् ॥
व्याकोशपद्माभमुखं नीलो विव्याध सायकैः ॥
तेनातिविद्धः सहसा द्रौणिर् भल्लैः शितैस् त्रिभिः ॥
धनुर् ध्वजं च छत्रं च द्विषतः स न्यकृन्तत ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
taṃ padmanikarākāraṃ padmapatranibhekṣaṇam ||
vyākośapadmābhamukhaṃ nīlo vivyādha sāyakaiḥ ||
tenātividdhaḥ sahasā drauṇir bhallaiḥ śitais tribhiḥ ||
dhanur dhvajaṃ ca chatraṃ ca dviṣataḥ sa nyakṛntata ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
तम्tamhim [Ashvatthaman]; him
पद्मनिकराकारम्padmanikarākāramshaped like a cluster of lotuses; shaped like a cluster of lotuses
पद्मपत्रनिभेक्षणम्padmapatranibhekṣaṇamwith eyes like lotus petals; [with] eyes like lotus petals
व्याकोशपद्माभमुखम्vyākośapadmābhamukhamwith a face like an opened lotus; [with a] face like an opened lotus
नीलःnīlaḥNila; Nila
विव्याधvivyādhapierced [wounded]; wounded
सायकैःsāyakaiḥwith arrows; with arrows
तेनtenaby him [by Nila]; by him
अतिविद्धःatividdhaḥdeeply pierced; deeply wounded
सहसाsahasāat once [suddenly]; at once
द्रौणिःdrauṇiḥthe son of Drona; the son of Drona
भल्लैः शितैःbhallaiḥ śitaiḥwith sharp bhalla-arrows; with sharp bhalla-arrows
त्रिभिःtribhiḥwith three; with three
धनुःdhanuḥbow; bow
ध्वजम्dhvajambanner; banner
चcaand; —
छत्रम्chatramparasol; parasol
चcaand; —
द्विषतःdviṣataḥof the enemy; [of the] enemy
सःsaḥhe [Ashvatthaman]; he
न्यकृन्ततnyakṛntatacut off [severed]; severed
Translation
Him -- shaped like a cluster of lotuses, with eyes like lotus petals, with a face like an opened lotus -- Nila wounded with arrows. Deeply wounded by him, the son of Drona at once, with three sharp bhalla-arrows, severed the enemy's bow, banner, and parasol.
Version
15dfb8eee9c4 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:11:21 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The fearsome warrior Ashvatthaman is described by a threefold image of the lotus -- face, eyes, whole form; the beauty of the young hero sets off the encroaching brutality of battle. Wounded, he does not delay, but with three precise arrows disarms his foe. It is telling that the tradition dwells on the beauty of the fighter just before the bloodshed. The verse teaches that beauty and terror are often joined in one man, and one gentle of countenance may be terrible in battle; that a true master, even when wounded, answers not with haste but with precision -- with three arrows he strips his enemy of bow, banner, and shelter; and that the tradition, seeing a lotus in the face of a warrior, reminds us that even in the very midst of war beauty does not fade, and all the more bitter is what awaits it.