Mahabharata 7.69.61–63

Jayadratha-vadha-parva (Donning the Armor)7.69.61–63

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Mahabharata · 7.69.61–63

॥

Devanāgarī

महेश्वर उवाच
विदितं मे यथा देवाः कृत्येयं सुमहाबला ॥
त्वष्टुस् तेजोभवा घोरा दुर्निवार्याकृतात्मभिः ॥
अवश्यं तु मया कार्यं साह्यं सर्वदिवौकसाम् ॥
ममेदं गात्रजं शक्र कवचं गृह्य भास्वरम् ॥
बधानानेन मन्त्रेण मानसेन सुरेश्वर ॥
द्रोण उवाच
इत्य् उक्त्वा वरदः प्रादाद् वर्म तन् मन्त्रम् एव च ॥
स तेन वर्मणा गुप्तः प्रायाद् वृत्रचमूं प्रति ॥

Transliteration (IAST)

maheśvara uvāca
viditaṃ me yathā devāḥ kṛtyeyaṃ sumahābalā ||
tvaṣṭus tejobhavā ghorā durnivāryākṛtātmabhiḥ ||
avaśyaṃ tu mayā kāryaṃ sāhyaṃ sarvadivaukasām ||
mamedaṃ gātrajaṃ śakra kavacaṃ gṛhya bhāsvaram ||
badhānānena mantreṇa mānasena sureśvara ||
droṇa uvāca
ity uktvā varadaḥ prādād varma tan mantram eva ca ||
sa tena varmaṇā guptaḥ prāyād vṛtracamūṃ prati ||

Word-by-word

SanskritIASTMeaning

विदितम् मे यथा देवाःviditam me yathā devāḥknown to me, how, O gods; known to me, O gods

कृत्या इयम् सुमहाबलाkṛtyā iyam sumahābalāthis kritya [sorcery] very mighty; this kritya very mighty

त्वष्टुः तेजोभवा घोराtvaṣṭuḥ tejobhavā ghorāborn of Tvashtri's ardor, terrible; born of Tvashtri's ardor, terrible

दुर्निवार्या अकृतात्मभिःdurnivāryā akṛtātmabhiḥunyielding to those imperfect in spirit; unconquerable by the imperfect

अवश्यम् तु मया कार्यम्avaśyam tu mayā kāryamsurely by me [must be] done; surely by me [must be]

साह्यम् सर्वदिवौकसाम्sāhyam sarvadivaukasāmassistance to all the celestials; help to all the celestials

मम इदम् गात्रजम् शक्रmama idam gātrajam śakrathis one, born of my body, O Shakra; this one, from my body, O Shakra

कवचम् गृह्य भास्वरम्kavacam gṛhya bhāsvaramtake the shining armor; take the shining armor

इति उक्त्वा वरदः प्रादात्iti uktvā varadaḥ prādāthaving said this, the giver of boons gave; having said this, the giver of boons gave

वर्म तत् मन्त्रम् एव चvarma tat mantram eva cathat armor and mantra; that armor and mantra

सः तेन वर्मणा गुप्तःsaḥ tena varmaṇā guptaḥhe, protected by that armor; he, protected by that armor

प्रायात् वृत्रचमूम् प्रतिprāyāt vṛtracamūm pratiadvanced [toward] Vritra's host; advanced against Vritra's host

Translation

[Shiva:] "I know, O gods, how mighty is this kritya [sorcery], born of Tvashtri's ardor, terrible, unyielding to those imperfect in spirit. Assistance must surely be rendered by me to all the celestials. Take this shining armor, born of my own body, O Shakra." Having spoken thus, the giver of boons gave that armor and the mantra; and he [Indra], protected by that armor, advanced against Vritra's host.

Commentary

'Durnivāryā akṛtātmabhiḥ', 'unyielding to those imperfect in spirit' — Shiva reveals something important: the evil kritya is unconquerable for those not perfected within ('akṛtātman'). Victory over it requires not weapons alone, but purity of spirit and grace. It is telling that the armor is given as 'gātrajam', born of the god's own body — grace descends as a part of the Giver. The verse teaches that terrible evil is overcome only by perfection of spirit and grace from above: to one 'imperfect in spirit' it is unconquerable; and true protection is not metal but the grace flowing from the Lord Himself as a part of Him.

Version

42ac6a886ebd · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:45:02 PM UTC

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