Mahabharata · 7.63.6–7
॥
Devanāgarī
सघण्टाश् चन्दनादिग्धाः स्वर्णवज्रविभूषिताः ॥
समुत्क्षिप्य गदाश् चान्ये पर्यपृच्छन्त पाण्डवम् ॥
अन्ये बलमदोन्मत्ताः परिघैर् बाहुशालिनः ॥
चक्रुः संबाधम् आकाशम् उच्छ्रितेन्द्रध्वजोपमैः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
saghaṇṭāś candanādigdhāḥ svarṇavajravibhūṣitāḥ ||
samutkṣipya gadāś cānye paryapṛcchanta pāṇḍavam ||
anye balamadonmattāḥ parighair bāhuśālinaḥ ||
cakruḥ saṃbādham ākāśam ucchritendradhvajopamaiḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
सघण्टाः चन्दनादिग्धाःsaghaṇṭāḥ candanādigdhāḥwith bells, anointed with sandalwood; with small bells, in sandal-paste
स्वर्णवज्रविभूषिताःsvarṇavajravibhūṣitāḥadorned with gold and diamonds; in gold and diamonds
समुत्क्षिप्य गदाः च अन्येsamutkṣipya gadāḥ ca anyeand others, having brandished maces; and others, having brandished maces
पर्यपृच्छन्त पाण्डवम्paryapṛcchanta pāṇḍavamasked about the Pandava [Arjuna]; asked about the Pandava
अन्ये बलमदोन्मत्ताःanye balamadonmattāḥothers, intoxicated with pride of strength; others, drunk with strength
परिघैः बाहुशालिनःparighaiḥ bāhuśālinaḥwith clubs, mighty-armed; with maces, mighty-armed
चक्रुः संबाधम् आकाशम्cakruḥ saṃbādham ākāśammade the sky crowded; crowded [with them] the sky
उच्छ्रितेन्द्रध्वजोपमैःucchritendradhvajopamaiḥ[with clubs] like raised banners of Indra; as though with raised banners of Indra
Translation
With small bells, anointed with sandalwood, adorned with gold and diamonds, others, having brandished maces, asked about the Pandava. Others, intoxicated with pride of strength, mighty-armed, crowded the sky with clubs like raised banners of Indra.
Version
4a1d60c05509 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:45:02 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
"Balamadonmattāḥ," "intoxicated with pride of strength" -- the word betrays a flaw: their might is mixed with the intoxication of pride. The raised clubs, "crowding the sky," are majestic, but behind them lies mada, conceit. It is telling that the poem quietly marks this admixture in the Kauravas. The verse teaches that strength poisoned by pride is unreliable: "bala-mada," intoxication with power, blinds and precedes a fall; true valor is sober, while boastful strength, drunk on itself, already carries within it the seed of defeat.