Mahabharata · 7.68.29–30
॥
Devanāgarī
ताव् अर्जुनो मुहूर्तेन शरैः संनतपर्वभिः ॥
प्रेषयत् परमक्रुद्धो यमस्य सदनं प्रति ॥
लोडयन्तम् अनीकानि द्विपं पद्मसरो यथा ॥
नाशक्नुवन् वारयितुं पार्थं क्षत्रियपुंगवाः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
tāv arjuno muhūrtena śaraiḥ saṃnataparvabhiḥ ||
preṣayat paramakruddho yamasya sadanaṃ prati ||
loḍayantam anīkāni dvipaṃ padmasaro yathā ||
nāśaknuvan vārayituṃ pārthaṃ kṣatriyapuṃgavāḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
तौ अर्जुनः मुहूर्तेनtau arjunaḥ muhūrtenathose two, Arjuna, in a moment; those two, Arjuna, in an instant
शरैः संनतपर्वभिःśaraiḥ saṃnataparvabhiḥwith arrows of smooth joints; with arrows of even ridges
प्रेषयत् परमक्रुद्धःpreṣayat paramakruddhaḥsent, in the utmost fury; sent, in the utmost fury
यमस्य सदनम् प्रतिyamasya sadanam pratito the abode of Yama; to the abode of Yama
लोडयन्तम् अनीकानिloḍayantam anīkāni[him,] stirring up the ranks; him, stirring up the hosts
द्विपम् पद्मसरः यथाdvipam padmasaraḥ yathāas an elephant a lotus pond; as an elephant does a lotus pond
न अशक्नुवन् वारयितुम्na aśaknuvan vārayitumcould not restrain; could not restrain
पार्थम् क्षत्रियपुंगवाःpārtham kṣatriyapuṃgavāḥPartha, the bulls among kshatriyas; Partha, the bulls of the kshatriyas
Translation
Those two, Arjuna, in a moment, with arrows of smooth joint, sent, in the utmost fury, to the abode of Yama. [Him,] stirring up the ranks as an elephant stirs a lotus pond, the bulls among kshatriyas could not restrain -- Partha.
Version
d9298c9e8c60 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:45:02 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The sons perish in an instant following their fathers -- "yamasya sadanaṃ prati," sent to the abode of Yama. The image "dvipaṃ padmasaraḥ yathā," an elephant in a lotus pond, paints Arjuna scattering the ranks as if at play. Telling is the powerlessness of multitude: "na aśaknuvan vārayitum," they could not restrain him. The verse teaches that before a will overshadowed by God, no number avails: as a lotus pond cannot hold an elephant, so hosts of warriors cannot stop one walking the path of righteous duty; and the stubbornness of the unrighteous only multiplies their victims without changing the outcome.