Mahabharata · 7.67.22–23
॥
Devanāgarī
अथान्यद् धनुर् आदाय कृतवर्मा महारथः ॥
पञ्चभिः सायकैस् तूर्णं विव्याधोरसि भारत ॥
पुनश् च निशितैर् बाणैः पार्थं विव्याध पञ्चभिः ॥
तं पार्थो नवभिर् बाणैर् आजघान स्तनान्तरे ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
athānyad dhanur ādāya kṛtavarmā mahārathaḥ ||
pañcabhiḥ sāyakais tūrṇaṃ vivyādhorasi bhārata ||
punaś ca niśitair bāṇaiḥ pārthaṃ vivyādha pañcabhiḥ ||
taṃ pārtho navabhir bāṇair ājaghāna stanāntare ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
अथ अन्यत् धनुः आदायatha anyat dhanuḥ ādāyathen, taking up another bow; then, taking up another bow
कृतवर्मा महारथःkṛtavarmā mahārathaḥKritavarman, the great warrior; Kritavarman, the mighty charioteer
पञ्चभिः सायकैः तूर्णम्pañcabhiḥ sāyakaiḥ tūrṇamwith five arrows swiftly; with five arrows swiftly
विव्याध उरसि भारतvivyādha urasi bhāratapierced him in the chest, O Bharata; pierced him in the chest, O Bharata
पुनः च निशितैः बाणैःpunaḥ ca niśitaiḥ bāṇaiḥand again with sharp arrows; and again with sharp arrows
पार्थम् विव्याध पञ्चभिःpārtham vivyādha pañcabhiḥpierced Partha with five; pierced Partha with five
तम् पार्थः नवभिः बाणैःtam pārthaḥ navabhiḥ bāṇaiḥhim Partha with nine arrows; him Partha with nine arrows
आजघान स्तनान्तरेājaghāna stanāntarestruck between the breasts [in the chest]; struck in the chest
Translation
Then, taking up another bow, Kritavarman, the mighty charioteer, swiftly pierced him in the chest, O Bharata, with five arrows. And again he pierced Partha with five sharp arrows; him Partha struck in the chest with nine arrows.
Version
e58c94c2f448 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:45:02 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The exchange continues: Kritavarman persists, Arjuna answers. The poem does not hasten the outcome — it shows the persistence of a worthy adversary. Telling is that here too Arjuna does not finish him off: his goal is the breakthrough, and so he does not linger over a secondary enemy longer than necessary. The verse teaches patience in the fulfillment of duty: the path to the goal is sometimes long and meets stubborn resistance. One who walks for the sake of a vow does not grow irritated at every hindrance but overcomes it steadily, husbanding strength and will for what matters most.