Mahabharata · 7.53.19–20
॥
Devanāgarī
नाहं पश्यामि भवतां तथावीर्यं धनुर्धरम् ॥
यो ऽर्जुनस्यास्त्रम् अस्त्रेण प्रतिहन्यान् महाहवे ॥
वासुदेवसहायस्य गाण्डीवं धुन्वतो धनुः ॥
को ऽर्जुनस्याग्रतस् तिष्ठेत् साक्षाद् अपि शतक्रतुः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
nāhaṃ paśyāmi bhavatāṃ tathāvīryaṃ dhanurdharam ||
yo 'rjunasyāstram astreṇa pratihanyān mahāhave ||
vāsudevasahāyasya gāṇḍīvaṃ dhunvato dhanuḥ ||
ko 'rjunasyāgratas tiṣṭhet sākṣād api śatakratuḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
न अहम् पश्यामि भवताम्na aham paśyāmi bhavatāmI do not see among you; I do not see among you
तथावीर्यम् धनुर्धरम्tathāvīryam dhanurdharama bowman of such valor; a bowman so mighty
यः अर्जुनस्य अस्त्रम् अस्त्रेणyaḥ arjunasya astram astreṇawho Arjuna's weapon with a weapon; who Arjuna's weapon with a weapon
प्रतिहन्यात् महाहवेpratihanyāt mahāhavecould repel in the great battle; could turn aside in the great fray
वासुदेवसहायस्यvāsudevasahāyasya[at the one] whose comrade is Vasudeva; with Vasudeva as comrade
गाण्डीवम् धुन्वतः धनुःgāṇḍīvam dhunvataḥ dhanuḥbrandishing the bow Gandiva; brandishing the bow Gandiva
कः अर्जुनस्य अग्रतः तिष्ठेत्kaḥ arjunasya agrataḥ tiṣṭhetwho would stand before Arjuna; who would stand before Arjuna
साक्षात् अपि शतक्रतुःsākṣāt api śatakratuḥeven Shatakratu [Indra] in person; even Shatakratu himself
Translation
"I do not see among you a bowman of such valor who could repel Arjuna's weapon with a weapon in the great battle. Before Arjuna, whose comrade is Vasudeva, brandishing the bow Gandiva — who would stand, even Shatakratu himself?"
Version
4775ba89f17a · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:36:52 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Jayadratha's flattery unwittingly speaks the truth: before Arjuna none can stand, "sākṣāt api śatakratuḥ", not even Indra himself. But the root of his invincibility is named precisely — "vāsudevasahāyasya", "whose comrade is Vasudeva." It is not the bow or the arm that makes Arjuna unconquerable, but the Lord's presence as charioteer. It is significant that this secret is spoken by the enemy, seeking justification for his own flight. The verse teaches that the true strength of the righteous lies in nearness to God: where Krishna is, no opponent can stand, and even a trembling foe perceives that he contends not with a man but with one behind whom the Lord Himself stands.