Mahabharata · 7.40.12–13
॥
Devanāgarī
स कक्षे ऽग्निर् इवोत्सृष्टो निर्दहंस् तरसा रिपून् ॥
मध्ये भारतसैन्यानाम् आर्जुनिः पर्यवर्तत ॥
रथनागाश्वमनुजान् अर्दयन् निशितैः शरैः ॥
स प्रविश्याकरोद् भूमिं कबन्धगणसंकुलाम् ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
sa kakṣe 'gnir ivotsṛṣṭo nirdahaṃs tarasā ripūn ||
madhye bhāratasainyānām ārjuniḥ paryavartata ||
rathanāgāśvamanujān ardayan niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ ||
sa praviśyākarod bhūmiṃ kabandhagaṇasaṃkulām ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
सःsaḥhe; he
कक्षेkakṣein dry brushwood [dry grass]; [in] dry brushwood
अग्निःagniḥfire; [like] fire
इवivaas if [as]; —
उत्सृष्टःutsṛṣṭaḥlet loose [released]; let loose
निर्दहन्nirdahanburning [consuming]; consuming
तरसाtarasāswiftly [with force]; swiftly
रिपून्ripūnenemies; enemies
मध्येmadhyein the midst; in the midst
भारतसैन्यानाम्bhāratasainyānāmof the armies of the Bharatas [Kaurava hosts]; of the Bharata hosts
आर्जुनिःārjuniḥson of Arjuna [Abhimanyu]; the son of Arjuna
पर्यवर्ततparyavartataranged [circled]; ranged
रथनागाश्वमनुजान्rathanāgāśvamanujānchariots, elephants, horses and men; chariots, elephants, horses and men
अर्दयन्ardayansmiting [striking down]; smiting
निशितैः शरैःniśitaiḥ śaraiḥwith sharp arrows; with sharp arrows
सःsaḥhe; he
प्रविश्यpraviśyahaving entered [broken in]; having broken in
अकरोत्akarotmade [turned]; turned
भूमिम्bhūmimthe ground; the ground
कबन्धगणसंकुलाम्kabandhagaṇasaṃkulāmfilled with a multitude of headless bodies; [into ground] filled with headless bodies
Translation
He, like fire let loose in dry brushwood, swiftly consuming the enemy, ranged through the midst of the Bharata hosts -- the son of Arjuna. Smiting chariots, elephants, horses and men with sharp arrows, having broken in [among the ranks], he turned the ground into one filled with headless bodies.
Version
695d3717f8d0 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:22:09 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The boy is likened to fire 'let loose in dry brushwood' -- an unrestrained force, devouring everything in its path. The image reveals the unstoppable nature of his onslaught. And the ground strewn with headless bodies is the reverse side of this power: behind the brilliance of valor stands a terrible harvest of death. It is telling that the tale does not conceal this price even for a beloved hero. The verse teaches that valor at its height is like the unrestrainable element of fire; that even the most splendid hero sows death in battle, and the field of his feat is strewn with bodies; and that the tale, delighting in the boy-as-fire, does not hide his terrible trace -- the headless corpses -- so that even in admiration of valor its inseparable price is remembered.