Mahabharata · 7.37.1–2
॥
Devanāgarī
धृतराष्ट्र उवाच
तथा प्रमथमानं तं महेष्वासम् अजिह्मगैः ॥
आर्जुनिं मामकाः सर्वे के त्व् एनं समवाकिरन् ॥
संजय उवाच
शृणु राजन् कुमारस्य रणे विक्रीडितं महत् ॥
बिभित्सतो रथानीकं भारद्वाजेन रक्षितम् ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca
tathā pramathamānaṃ taṃ maheṣvāsam ajihmagaiḥ ||
ārjuniṃ māmakāḥ sarve ke tv enaṃ samavākiran ||
saṃjaya uvāca
śṛṇu rājan kumārasya raṇe vikrīḍitaṃ mahat ||
bibhitsato rathānīkaṃ bhāradvājena rakṣitam ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
तथाtathāthus [so much]; so much
प्रमथमानम्pramathamānamcrushing [smashing]; who was crushing
तम्tamthat one; [that one]
महेष्वासम्maheṣvāsamgreat archer; great archer
अजिह्मगैःajihmagaiḥstraight-flying [arrows]; straight-flying [arrows]
आर्जुनिम्ārjunimArjuna's son [Abhimanyu]; Arjuna's son
मामकाःmāmakāḥmy [warriors]; my [warriors]
सर्वेsarveall; all
केkewho [which]; who
तुtuindeed; indeed
एनम्enamhim; him
समवाकिरन्samavākiranshowered [overwhelmed]; showered
शृणुśṛṇulisten [hearken]; hearken
राजन्rājanO king; O king
कुमारस्यkumārasyaof the young prince [the boy]; of the young prince
रणेraṇein battle; in battle
विक्रीडितम्vikrīḍitam[martial] sport [game]; [martial] sport
महत्mahatgreat; great
बिभित्सतःbibhitsataḥof him who was eager to break through [striving to breach]; of him striving to breach
रथानीकम्rathānīkamthe array of chariots [chariot host]; the chariot host
भारद्वाजेनbhāradvājenaby Bharadvaja's son [Drona]; by Drona
रक्षितम्rakṣitamprotected [guarded]; protected
Translation
'That great archer, Arjuna's son, who was crushing them so with straight-flying arrows -- which of all my warriors showered him with arrows?' Hearken, O king, to the young prince's great martial sport, as he strove to break through the chariot host guarded by Drona.
Version
daac5fcbff9b · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:22:09 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The boy's feat is called a 'martial sport' (vikrīḍita) -- a game: what is beyond the strength of thousands comes to him as easily as play. In this single word lies the highest praise for mastery, for whom a fearsome battle is as light as amusement. It is telling that Dhritarashtra, father of the enemy, again cannot help but marvel at the boy's valor. The verse teaches that the summit of skill turns the hardest task into the semblance of a game, and the master accomplishes, as if at play, what others cannot manage; that true greatness is recognized by this seeming ease; and that the tradition, calling the boy's mortal combat a 'sport,' shows not levity but the measure of his gift -- for only one who has mastered an art completely acts within it freely, like a child at play.