Mahabharata · 7.60.18–19
॥
Devanāgarī
अन्वारुरोहतुः पार्थं युयुधानजनार्दनौ ॥
शर्यातेर् यज्ञम् आयान्तं यथेन्द्रं देवम् अश्विनौ ॥
अथ जग्राह गोविन्दो रश्मीन् रश्मिवतां वरः ॥
मातलिर् वासवस्येव वृत्रं हन्तुं प्रयास्यतः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
anvārurohatuḥ pārthaṃ yuyudhānajanārdanau ||
śaryāter yajñam āyāntaṃ yathendraṃ devam aśvinau ||
atha jagrāha govindo raśmīn raśmivatāṃ varaḥ ||
mātalir vāsavasyeva vṛtraṃ hantuṃ prayāsyataḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
अन्वारुरोहतुः पार्थम्anvārurohatuḥ pārthammounted up after Partha; mounted up after Partha
युयुधानजनार्दनौyuyudhānajanārdanauYuyudhana and Janardana; Yuyudhana and Janardana
शर्यातेः यज्ञम् आयान्तम्śaryāteḥ yajñam āyāntamas to Sharyati's sacrifice approaching; as to the sacrifice of Sharyati approaching
यथा इन्द्रम् देवम् अश्विनौyathā indram devam aśvinaulike the god Indra — the Ashvins; like the god Indra — the Ashvins
अथ जग्राह गोविन्दःatha jagrāha govindaḥthen Govinda took; then Govinda took
रश्मीन् रश्मिवताम् वरःraśmīn raśmivatām varaḥthe reins — the foremost of charioteers; the reins — first among those who hold the reins
मातलिः वासवस्य इवmātaliḥ vāsavasya ivaas Matali [took the reins] of Vasava; as Matali did for Vasava's [chariot]
वृत्रम् हन्तुम् प्रयास्यतःvṛtram hantum prayāsyataḥ[of Indra,] ready to go slay Vritra; of Indra, who goes to slay Vritra
Translation
After Partha mounted Yuyudhana and Janardana — as the Ashvins [mount] beside the god Indra, going to Sharyati's sacrifice. Then Govinda, the foremost of charioteers, took up the reins — as Matali [drives the chariot] of Vasava [Indra], ready to go slay Vritra.
Version
e3fed8c5c86d · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:36:52 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The comparison to Matali, Indra's charioteer before his battle with Vritra, raises the coming fight to the scale of a cosmic clash of righteousness against unrighteousness. It is telling that "govindaḥ raśmivatāṃ varaḥ", the Lord is "the foremost of those who hold the reins": He governs not the chariot alone but the very outcome. Arjuna-as-Indra goes to slay Jayadratha-as-Vritra, while it is God Himself who drives him. The verse teaches that when the reins of life are in the Lord's hand, every battle takes on the meaning of overthrowing evil: the devotee is but a warrior on the chariot, while God Himself steers and leads to victory over untruth.