Mahabharata · 7.71.7–8
॥
Devanāgarī
बाह्लीकं रभसं युद्धे याज्ञसेनिर् महाबलः ॥
आजघ्ने विशिखैस् तीक्ष्णैर् घोरैर् मर्मास्थिभेदिभिः ॥
बाह्लीको याज्ञसेनिं तु हेमपुङ्खैः शिलाशितैः ॥
आजघान भृशं क्रुद्धो नवभिर् नतपर्वभिः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
bāhlīkaṃ rabhasaṃ yuddhe yājñasenir mahābalaḥ ||
ājaghne viśikhais tīkṣṇair ghorair marmāsthibhedibhiḥ ||
bāhlīko yājñaseniṃ tu hemapuṅkhaiḥ śilāśitaiḥ ||
ājaghāna bhṛśaṃ kruddho navabhir nataparvabhiḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
बाह्लीकम् रभसम् युद्धेbāhlīkam rabhasam yuddheBahlika, impetuous in battle; Bahlika, impetuous in battle
याज्ञसेनिः महाबलःyājñaseniḥ mahābalaḥthe son of Yajnasena [Shikhandin], of great might; the son of Yajnasena, of great might
आजघ्ने विशिखैः तीक्ष्णैःājaghne viśikhaiḥ tīkṣṇaiḥstruck with sharp arrows; struck with sharp arrows
घोरैः मर्मास्थिभेदिभिःghoraiḥ marmāsthibhedibhiḥfearsome, piercing flesh and bone; fearsome, striking flesh and bone
बाह्लीकः याज्ञसेनिम् तुbāhlīkaḥ yājñasenim tuBahlika, in turn, the son of Yajnasena; Bahlika, in turn, the son of Yajnasena
हेमपुङ्खैः शिलाशितैःhemapuṅkhaiḥ śilāśitaiḥgold-feathered, whetted on stone; gold-feathered, whetted
आजघान भृशम् क्रुद्धःājaghāna bhṛśam kruddhaḥstruck, greatly enraged; struck, in great wrath
नवभिः नतपर्वभिःnavabhiḥ nataparvabhiḥwith nine [arrows] with smooth joints; with nine arrows with even edges
Translation
Bahlika, impetuous in battle, was struck by the mighty son of Yajnasena [Shikhandin] with sharp arrows, fearsome, piercing flesh and bone. Bahlika, in turn, struck the son of Yajnasena with gold-feathered arrows whetted on stone, greatly enraged, with nine arrows with smooth joints.
Version
1d59bf1639a1 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:52:56 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The exchange of blows between Shikhandin and Bahlika proceeds by an exact count. The poet keeps the tally dispassionately, like a chronicle. It is telling that Shikhandin, born for Bhishma's destruction, is here only one among many fighters: each has his own appointed task. The verse teaches that in the great unfolding each has his own role and his own opponent: the general storm is composed of countless particular clashes; and the one destined to slay a single foe is, in other battles, merely an ordinary participant in the common labor of retribution.