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Mahabharata · 7.67.20–21
॥
Санджая
Devanāgarī
भोजस् तु प्रहसन् पार्थं वासुदेवं च माधवम् ॥
एकैकं पञ्चविंशत्या सायकानां समार्पयत् ॥
तस्यार्जुनो धनुश् छित्त्वा विव्याधैनं त्रिसप्तभिः ॥
शरैर् अग्निशिखाकारैः क्रुद्धाशीविषसंनिभैः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
bhojas tu prahasan pārthaṃ vāsudevaṃ ca mādhavam ||
ekaikaṃ pañcaviṃśatyā sāyakānāṃ samārpayat ||
tasyārjuno dhanuś chittvā vivyādhainaṃ trisaptabhiḥ ||
śarair agniśikhākāraiḥ kruddhāśīviṣasaṃnibhaiḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
भोजः तु प्रहसन् पार्थम्bhojaḥ tu prahasan pārthamthe Bhoja, laughing, at Partha; the Bhoja, laughing, at Partha
वासुदेवम् च माधवम्vāsudevam ca mādhavamand at Vasudeva Madhava; and at Vasudeva Madhava
एकैकम् पञ्चविंशत्याekaikam pañcaviṃśatyāeach with twenty-five; each with twenty-five
सायकानाम् समार्पयत्sāyakānām samārpayatarrows he struck; arrows he pierced them
तस्य अर्जुनः धनुः छित्त्वाtasya arjunaḥ dhanuḥ chittvāhis bow Arjuna, having cut; his bow Arjuna, having cut
विव्याध एनम् त्रिसप्तभिःvivyādha enam trisaptabhiḥpierced him with twenty-one [three times seven]; pierced him with twenty-one
शरैः अग्निशिखाकारैःśaraiḥ agniśikhākāraiḥwith arrows shaped like tongues of flame; with arrows like tongues of flame
क्रुद्धाशीविषसंनिभैःkruddhāśīviṣasaṃnibhaiḥresembling enraged venomous serpents; like enraged venomous snakes
Translation
The Bhoja, laughing, struck Partha and Vasudeva Madhava, each with twenty-five arrows. Arjuna, having cut his bow, pierced him with twenty-one arrows shaped like tongues of flame, resembling enraged venomous serpents.
Version
db6f0ecb1c83 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:45:02 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The exchange of blows between equals flows evenly, almost ritually: so many arrows answered by so many. The poem keeps count like a litany of battle. Telling is that here too Arjuna does not destroy Kritavarman but only disarms him, cutting his bow: his goal is to pass through, not to slaughter everyone. The verse teaches the measure proper to righteous action: even in combat it is not boundless but proportioned to its aim. One who fights for a vow, not for slaughter, strikes exactly as much as needed to press on toward his goal.