Mahabharata · 7.39.30–31
॥
Devanāgarī
ततः कृच्छ्रगतं कर्णं दृष्ट्वा कर्णाद् अनन्तरः ॥
सौभद्रम् अभ्ययात् तूर्णं दृढम् उद्यम्य कार्मुकम् ॥
तत उच्चुक्रुशुः पार्थास् तेषां चानुचरा जनाः ॥
वादित्राणि च संजघ्नुः सौभद्रं चापि तुष्टुवुः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
tataḥ kṛcchragataṃ karṇaṃ dṛṣṭvā karṇād anantaraḥ ||
saubhadram abhyayāt tūrṇaṃ dṛḍham udyamya kārmukam ||
tata uccukruśuḥ pārthās teṣāṃ cānucarā janāḥ ||
vāditrāṇi ca saṃjaghnuḥ saubhadraṃ cāpi tuṣṭuvuḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
ततःtataḥthen; then
कृच्छ्रगतम्kṛcchragatamfallen into distress [hard-pressed]; hard-pressed
कर्णम्karṇamKarna; Karna
दृष्ट्वाdṛṣṭvāhaving seen; seeing
कर्णात् अनन्तरःkarṇāt anantaraḥKarna's younger brother [the one next after Karna]; Karna's younger brother
सौभद्रम्saubhadram[at] the son of Subhadra [Abhimanyu]; [at] Abhimanyu
अभ्ययात्abhyayātrushed [charged]; charged
तूर्णम्tūrṇamswiftly [at once]; swiftly
दृढम्dṛḍhamfirmly [steadily]; firmly
उद्यम्यudyamyaraising [lifting]; raising
कार्मुकम्kārmukambow; bow
ततःtataḥthen; then
उच्चुक्रुशुःuccukruśuḥrejoiced [shouted out]; shouted out
पार्थाःpārthāḥthe Parthas [Pandavas]; the Parthas
तेषाम्teṣāmtheir; their
चcaand; —
अनुचराःanucarāḥcompanions [followers]; followers
जनाःjanāḥpeople [men]; men
वादित्राणिvāditrāṇi[musical] instruments; [martial] music
चcaand; —
संजघ्नुःsaṃjaghnuḥstruck up [sounded]; sounded
सौभद्रम्saubhadramthe son of Subhadra [Abhimanyu]; the son of Subhadra
चcaand; —
अपिapialso [too]; —
तुष्टुवुःtuṣṭuvuḥpraised [extolled]; praised
Translation
Then, seeing Karna hard-pressed, Karna's younger brother charged swiftly at Abhimanyu, firmly raising his bow. Then the Parthas and their followers shouted out in joy, sounded their martial music, and praised the son of Subhadra.
Version
3f887f1013a1 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:22:09 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Karna's brother hastens to rescue him, pressed by the boy — and the Pandavas rejoice, praising Abhimanyu, who has forced Karna himself to give ground. In this joy lies recognition of the unprecedented: a mere child overcomes the foremost of bowmen. It is telling that it is a brother who comes to Karna's aid — even the most formidable need help against the boy. The verse teaches that valor which presses back the greatest of warriors rightly calls forth rejoicing; that even the mightiest sometimes needs rescue when a true hero rises against him; and that the praise the Pandavas raise for the boy stands as the whole army's testimony to a feat without equal — a moment before this zenith of glory is cut short by death.