Mahabharata · 7.36.10–11
॥
Devanāgarī
त एनं कोष्ठकीकृत्य रथवंशेन मारिष ॥
व्यसृजन्न् इषुजालानि नानालिङ्गानि संघशः ॥
तान्य् अन्तरिक्षे चिच्छेद पौत्रस् तव शितैः शरैः ॥
तांश् चैव प्रतिविव्याध तद् अद्भुतम् इवाभवत् ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
ta enaṃ koṣṭhakīkṛtya rathavaṃśena māriṣa ||
vyasṛjann iṣujālāni nānāliṅgāni saṃghaśaḥ ||
tāny antarikṣe ciccheda pautras tava śitaiḥ śaraiḥ ||
tāṃś caiva prativivyādha tad adbhutam ivābhavat ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
तेtethey; they
एनम्enamhim [Abhimanyu]; him
कोष्ठकीकृत्यkoṣṭhakīkṛtyahaving enclosed in a ring [surrounded on all sides]; having encircled [in a ring]
रथवंशेनrathavaṃśenawith a line of chariots; with a line of chariots
मारिषmāriṣaO venerable one; O worthy one
व्यसृजन्vyasṛjanhurled [loosed]; unleashed
इषुजालानिiṣujālāninets of arrows; webs of arrows
नानालिङ्गानिnānāliṅgāniof various kinds [with different markings]; of various kinds
संघशःsaṃghaśaḥall together [en masse]; all at once
तानिtānithose; those
अन्तरिक्षेantarikṣein the air [in the sky]; in the air
चिच्छेदcicchedacut [sliced]; sliced
पौत्रः तवpautraḥ tavayour grandson; your grandson
शितैः शरैःśitaiḥ śaraiḥwith sharp arrows; with sharp arrows
तान्tānthem; [them in turn]
चcaand; —
एवevaindeed; —
प्रतिविव्याधprativivyādhapierced in return; struck back
तत्tatthat; [that]
अद्भुतम्adbhutama wonder [marvel]; a marvel
इवivaas if [like]; just as
अभवत्abhavatwas [appeared]; appeared
Translation
They, having encircled him with a line of chariots, O worthy one, unleashed webs of arrows of every kind, all at once. Those arrows your grandson sliced apart in the air with his own sharp shafts, and struck the attackers back with the very same — it appeared as a marvel.
Version
b8956dee9e33 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:22:09 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The boy, enclosed within a ring of chariots, cuts through the webs of arrows hurled at him in mid-air and answers each attacker — a mastery bordering on the miraculous. The very impossibility of overcoming a cloud of arrows flying from every side makes his feat a "marvel" in the eyes of the enemy. It is telling that the tradition calls it a "marvel" through the very mouths of the watching Kauravas — the boy's excellence astonishes even his foes. The verse teaches that skill brought to perfection accomplishes what seems impossible — to parry a cloud of arrows and answer it in kind; that one man, surrounded on every side, can turn a siege into a display of his own mastery; and that true valor delights even enemies, who, unable to overcome it, marvel at it — an involuntary tribute that injustice pays to the greatness of the one it destroys.