Mahabharata · 7.47.34–35
॥
Devanāgarī
स छिन्नधन्वा विरथः स्वधर्मम् अनुपालयन् ॥
खड्गचर्मधरः श्रीमान् उत्पपात विहायसम् ॥
मार्गैः स कैशिकाद्यैश् च लाघवेन बलेन च ॥
आर्जुनिर् व्यचरद् व्योम्नि भृशं वै पक्षिराड् इव ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
sa chinnadhanvā virathaḥ svadharmam anupālayan ||
khaḍgacarmadharaḥ śrīmān utpapāta vihāyasam ||
mārgaiḥ sa kaiśikādyaiś ca lāghavena balena ca ||
ārjunir vyacarad vyomni bhṛśaṃ vai pakṣirāḍ iva ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
सःsaḥhe [Abhimanyu]; he
छिन्नधन्वाchinnadhanvāwith his bow cut; [with] his bow cut
विरथःvirathaḥbereft of chariot; bereft of chariot
स्वधर्मम्svadharmamhis own duty [his own dharma]; his own duty
अनुपालयन्anupālayankeeping [observing]; keeping
खड्गचर्मधरःkhaḍgacarmadharaḥwith sword and shield; [with] sword and shield
श्रीमान्śrīmānglorious [full of splendor]; glorious
उत्पपातutpapātasprang up [soared]; soared
विहायसम्vihāyasam[into] the sky [aloft]; aloft
मार्गैःmārgaiḥby techniques [ways]; by techniques
सःsaḥhe; he
कैशिकाद्यैःkaiśikādyaiḥkaishika and others; kaishika and others
चcaand; —
लाघवेनlāghavenaby skill [by nimbleness]; by skill
बलेनbalenaby strength; [and] by strength
चcaand; —
आर्जुनिःārjuniḥthe son of Arjuna [Abhimanyu]; the son of Arjuna
व्यचरत्vyacaratcoursed [ranged]; coursed
व्योम्निvyomniin the sky [in heaven]; in the sky
भृशम्bhṛśamgreatly [swiftly]; swiftly
वैvaiindeed [truly]; —
पक्षिराट्pakṣirāṭking of birds [Garuda]; [like] the king of birds
इवivaas [like]; —
Translation
He, his bow cut, bereft of his chariot, yet keeping his own duty, glorious, sprang aloft with sword and shield. By the techniques of Kaishika and others, by skill and by strength, the son of Arjuna coursed swiftly through the sky, like the king of birds [Garuda].
Version
aaf8fad57105 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:30:04 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Disarmed, bereft of his chariot, the boy "keeps his own duty" (svadharmam anupālayan) — and springs into the sky with his sword, like Garuda. This is the summit of his spirit: betrayed and outraged, he does not yield, but shows forth the highest valor, faithful to dharma to the end. It is significant that the contrast is drawn: the enemies have trampled dharma, while the boy keeps it. The verse teaches that true greatness reveals itself in the hour when everything is taken away — weapon, support, hope; that faithfulness to one's own duty (svadharma) does not waver even in hopelessness, for it is dearer than life itself; and that Abhimanyu, unarmed, soaring through the sky with his sword like the king of birds, in his very doom shines brighter than all his armed enemies — for they preserve their lives by trampling dharma, while he preserves dharma at the cost of his life, and in this lies his abiding victory over his victors.