Mahabharata · 7.33.4–5
॥
Devanāgarī
युगान्ते चान्तको राजञ् जामदग्न्यश् च वीर्यवान् ॥
रणस्थो भीमसेनश् च कथ्यन्ते सदृशास् त्रयः ॥
प्रतिज्ञाकर्मदक्षस्य रणे गाण्डीवधन्वनः ॥
उपमां नाधिगच्छामि पार्थस्य सदृशीं क्षितौ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
yugānte cāntako rājañ jāmadagnyaś ca vīryavān ||
raṇastho bhīmasenaś ca kathyante sadṛśās trayaḥ ||
pratijñākarmadakṣasya raṇe gāṇḍīvadhanvanaḥ ||
upamāṃ nādhigacchāmi pārthasya sadṛśīṃ kṣitau ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
युगान्तेyugānteat the end of the age [at the world's dissolution]; [as] at the end of the age
चcaand; --
अन्तकःantakaḥAntaka [Death]; Death
राजन्rājanO king; O sovereign
जामदग्न्यःjāmadagnyaḥson of Jamadagni [Parashurama]; son of Jamadagni [Parashurama]
चcaand; --
वीर्यवान्vīryavānvaliant [mighty]; mighty
रणस्थःraṇasthaḥstanding in battle [on the battlefield]; [and] on the battlefield
भीमसेनःbhīmasenaḥBhimasena; Bhimasena
चcaand; --
कथ्यन्तेkathyanteare called [are reputed]; are reputed
सदृशाःsadṛśāḥalike [equal]; equal
त्रयःtrayaḥthree; three
प्रतिज्ञाकर्मदक्षस्यpratijñākarmadakṣasya[of him who] is skilled in fulfilling vows by deed; [of the one] skilled in fulfilling vows by deed
रणेraṇein battle; in combat
गाण्डीवधन्वनःgāṇḍīvadhanvanaḥ[of] the archer with the Gandiva [Arjuna]; [of] the archer with the Gandiva
उपमाम्upamāmcomparison [likeness]; comparison
न अधिगच्छामिna adhigacchāmiI do not find [I cannot discover]; I do not find
पार्थस्यpārthasyato Partha [Arjuna]; to Partha
सदृशीम्sadṛśīmequal [like]; equal
क्षितौkṣitauon earth [in the world]; on earth
Translation
Death at the end of the age, O sovereign, and the mighty son of Jamadagni [Parashurama], and on the battlefield Bhimasena -- these three are reputed equal. For Partha, skilled in fulfilling vows by deed, the archer with the Gandiva, I find on earth no fitting comparison.
Version
9686d0fa2e1d · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:22:09 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Of Arjuna it is said: "I find him no equal comparison on earth" -- he surpasses every likeness. And Bhima is set alongside Death itself and Parashurama -- images of all-crushing might. It is significant that Arjuna is praised first of all as "skilled in fulfilling vows by deed": the highest praise is not for strength but for fidelity to one's word, confirmed by action. The verse teaches that there is a greatness surpassing all comparison, for nothing is like it; that might resembling Death is fearsome, but above it stands fidelity to a vow, sealed by deed; and that the tradition, in praising Arjuna precisely for the fulfillment of vows rather than for strength alone, points to this: the true measure of a man lies not in how mighty he is, but in how unbreakable is his word, made real in action.