Mahabharata · 7.53.42–43
॥
Devanāgarī
गाण्डीवप्रेषिता बाणा मनोनिलसमा जवे ॥
नृनागाश्वान् विदेहासून् कर्तारश् च सहस्रशः ॥
यमात् कुबेराद् वरुणाद् रुद्राद् इन्द्राच् च यन् मया ॥
उपात्तम् अस्त्रं घोरं वै तद् द्रष्टारो नरा युधि ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
gāṇḍīvapreṣitā bāṇā manonilasamā jave ||
nṛnāgāśvān videhāsūn kartāraś ca sahasraśaḥ ||
yamāt kuberād varuṇād rudrād indrāc ca yan mayā ||
upāttam astraṃ ghoraṃ vai tad draṣṭāro narā yudhi ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
गाण्डीवप्रेषिताः बाणाःgāṇḍīvapreṣitāḥ bāṇāḥarrows sent by the Gandiva; arrows loosed from the Gandiva
मनोनिलसमाः जवेmanonilasamāḥ javeswift as mind and wind; swift as mind and wind
नृनागाश्वान्nṛnāgāśvānmen, elephants and horses; men, elephants, horses
विदेहासून्videhāsūnbereft of bodies and lives; bereft of flesh and life
कर्तारः च सहस्रशःkartāraḥ ca sahasraśaḥwill make by the thousands; will make by the thousands
यमात् कुबेरात् वरुणात्yamāt kuberāt varuṇātfrom Yama, Kubera, Varuna; from Yama, Kubera, Varuna
रुद्रात् इन्द्रात् च यत् मयाrudrāt indrāt ca yat mayāand from Rudra, Indra - what by me; and from Rudra, Indra - what by me
उपात्तम् अस्त्रम् घोरम् वैupāttam astram ghoram vaihas been received, the terrible weapon; has been received, the terrible weapon
तत् द्रष्टारः नराः युधिtat draṣṭāraḥ narāḥ yudhithat will people see in battle; that will people see in battle
Translation
"Arrows sent from the Gandiva, swift as mind and wind, will make men, elephants, and horses bereft of body and life by the thousands. The terrible weapon that I have received from Yama, Kubera, Varuna, Rudra, and Indra — that will people witness in battle."
Version
e69135b31754 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:36:52 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Arjuna reminds Krishna what arms him: the very weapons of the guardians of the world — Yama, Kubera, Varuna, Rudra, Indra. These gifts are not mere power but a sign that heaven has entrusted him with the instruments of justice. It is telling that the arrows of the Gandiva are "manonilasamāḥ jave", "swift as mind and wind": the fulfillment of a righteous will is as swift as thought itself. The verse teaches that powers granted by heaven are meant to serve dharma; and he to whom they are entrusted answers for them not by willfulness but by carrying out what is appointed — retribution for violated righteousness.