Mahabharata · 7.48.5–6
॥
Devanāgarī
स गदाम् उद्यतां दृष्ट्वा ज्वलन्तीम् अशनीम् इव ॥
अपाक्रामद् रथोपस्थाद् विक्रमांस् त्रीन् नरर्षभः ॥
तस्याश्वान् गदया हत्वा तथोभौ पार्ष्णिसारथी ॥
शराचिताङ्गः सौभद्रः श्वाविद्वत् प्रत्यदृश्यत ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
sa gadām udyatāṃ dṛṣṭvā jvalantīm aśanīm iva ||
apākrāmad rathopasthād vikramāṃs trīn nararṣabhaḥ ||
tasyāśvān gadayā hatvā tathobhau pārṣṇisārathī ||
śarācitāṅgaḥ saubhadraḥ śvāvidvat pratyadṛśyata ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
सःsaḥhe [Ashvatthaman]; he
गदाम् उद्यताम्gadām udyatāmraised mace; uplifted mace
दृष्ट्वाdṛṣṭvāhaving seen; having beheld
ज्वलन्तीम्jvalantīmblazing [gleaming]; blazing
अशनीम् इवaśanīm ivalike a thunderbolt; as a lightning-bolt
अपाक्रामत्apākrāmatretreated [drew back]; recoiled
रथोपस्थात्rathopasthātfrom the platform of the chariot; from the chariot-stand
विक्रमान् त्रीन्vikramān trīnthree steps [three leaps]; three paces
नरर्षभःnararṣabhaḥbull among men [best of men]; a bull among men
तस्य अश्वान्tasya aśvānhis horses; his horses
गदयाgadayāwith the mace; with the mace
हत्वाhatvāhaving slain [struck down]; having struck down
तथा उभौ पार्ष्णिसारथीtathā ubhau pārṣṇisārathīas well as both flanking charioteers; and both flank-side drivers
शराचिताङ्गःśarācitāṅgaḥwith body studded with arrows; all covered in arrows
सौभद्रःsaubhadraḥson of Subhadra [Abhimanyu]; Saubhadra
श्वावित् वत्śvāvit vatlike a porcupine; as a porcupine
प्रत्यदृश्यतpratyadṛśyataappeared [presented himself to sight]; showed in form
Translation
Having seen the raised mace, blazing like a thunderbolt, the bull among men recoiled three paces from the chariot-platform. Having struck down his horses and both flanking charioteers with the mace, the son of Subhadra — all covered in arrows — appeared to sight like a porcupine.
Version
4065b349e482 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:30:04 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
It is telling that Ashvatthaman, most renowned of warriors, draws back "three paces" before an unarmed boy with a single mace: he sees the blazing mace "as a lightning-bolt". And the boy, stripped of everything, still smashes down the enemy's horses and charioteers. The image "śarācitāṅgaḥ… śvāvid vat", "studded with arrows, like a porcupine", does not diminish him but crowns him: every arrow in his body is a mark that he alone bore the assault of six. The verse teaches that one kind of bodily defeat can shine brighter than another kind of victory.