Mahabharata · 7.63.8–9
॥
Devanāgarī
नानाप्रहरणैश् चान्ये विचित्रस्रगलंकृताः ॥
संग्राममनसः शूरास् तत्र तत्र व्यवस्थिताः ॥
क्वार्जुनः क्व च गोविन्दः क्व च मानी वृकोदरः ॥
क्व च ते सुहृदस् तेषाम् आह्वयन्तो रणे तदा ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
nānāpraharaṇaiś cānye vicitrasragalaṃkṛtāḥ ||
saṃgrāmamanasaḥ śūrās tatra tatra vyavasthitāḥ ||
kvārjunaḥ kva ca govindaḥ kva ca mānī vṛkodaraḥ ||
kva ca te suhṛdas teṣām āhvayanto raṇe tadā ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
नानाप्रहरणैः च अन्येnānāpraharaṇaiḥ ca anyeand others -- with varied weapons; and others -- with varied weapons
विचित्रस्रगलंकृताःvicitrasragalaṃkṛtāḥadorned with colorful garlands; in colorful wreaths
संग्राममनसः शूराःsaṃgrāmamanasaḥ śūrāḥheroes, [whose] thoughts were on battle; warriors, whose minds were on the fight
तत्र तत्र व्यवस्थिताःtatra tatra vyavasthitāḥstationed here and there; positioned here and there
क्व अर्जुनः क्व च गोविन्दःkva arjunaḥ kva ca govindaḥ"where is Arjuna, where is Govinda"; "where is Arjuna, where is Govinda"
क्व च मानी वृकोदरःkva ca mānī vṛkodaraḥ"and where is the proud Vrikodara [Bhima]"; "and where is the proud Vrikodara"
क्व च ते सुहृदः तेषाम्kva ca te suhṛdaḥ teṣām"and where are their friends"; "and where are their friends"
आह्वयन्तः रणे तदाāhvayantaḥ raṇe tadāsummoning [them] to battle then; calling them to battle then
Translation
And others -- with varied weapons, adorned with colorful garlands, heroes whose thoughts were on battle, stationed here and there -- "Where is Arjuna, where is Govinda, and where is the proud Vrikodara, and where are their friends?" -- summoning them to battle then.
Version
e869b3546cda · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:45:02 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Their challenge names precisely those they fear: "kva arjunaḥ kva govindaḥ kva mānī vṛkodaraḥ." It is telling that among those summoned is "govindaḥ," the Lord Himself: they hurl a challenge at God without knowing against Whom they stand. The verse teaches that a challenge flung at God and His devotees is a mark of blindness: whoever loudly calls the Lord and those He protects to battle reveals not their fear but his own blindness; and loud bravado against those with whom God stands is only a step toward one's own ruin.