Mahabharata · 7.71.17–18
॥
Devanāgarī
ताव् अन्योन्यं दृढं विद्धाव् अन्योन्यशरविक्षतौ ॥
रेजतुः समरे राजन् पुष्पिताव् इव किंशुकौ ॥
अलम्बुसस् तु संक्रुद्धः कुन्तिभोजशरार्दितः ॥
अशोभत परं लक्ष्म्या पुष्पाढ्य इव किंशुकः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
tāv anyonyaṃ dṛḍhaṃ viddhāv anyonyaśaravikṣatau ||
rejatuḥ samare rājan puṣpitāv iva kiṃśukau ||
alambusas tu saṃkruddhaḥ kuntibhojaśarārditaḥ ||
aśobhata paraṃ lakṣmyā puṣpāḍhya iva kiṃśukaḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
तौ अन्योन्यम् दृढम् विद्धौtau anyonyam dṛḍham viddhauthose two, having firmly pierced each other; those two, having firmly pierced each other
अन्योन्यशरविक्षतौanyonyaśaravikṣatauwounded by each other's arrows; wounded by each other's arrows
रेजतुः समरे राजन्rejatuḥ samare rājanshone in battle, o king; shone in battle, o sovereign
पुष्पितौ इव किंशुकौpuṣpitau iva kiṃśukaulike two flowering kimshuka trees; like two flowering kimshuka trees
अलम्बुसः तु संक्रुद्धःalambusaḥ tu saṃkruddhaḥAlambusa, in turn, enraged; Alambusa, in turn, enraged
कुन्तिभोजशरार्दितःkuntibhojaśarārditaḥworn out by Kuntibhoja's arrows; worn out by Kuntibhoja's arrows
अशोभत परम् लक्ष्म्याaśobhata param lakṣmyāshone with supreme beauty; shone with supreme beauty
पुष्पाढ्यः इव किंशुकःpuṣpāḍhyaḥ iva kiṃśukaḥlike a kimshuka rich in flowers; like a kimshuka abundant in flowers
Translation
Those two, having firmly pierced each other, wounded by each other's arrows, shone in battle, o king, like two flowering kimshuka trees. Alambusa, enraged, worn out by Kuntibhoja's arrows, shone with supreme beauty, like a kimshuka rich in flowers.
Version
7e2b9b1d6baa · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:52:56 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
A favorite image: the wounded warriors are 'puṣpitau iva kiṃśukau,' like scarlet-flowering kimshuka trees. The blood of the wounds is turned into a floral adornment. It is telling that the poet sees in the wounds not only pain but the terrible beauty of sacrificial valor. The verse teaches that suffering accepted in the fulfillment of duty acquires a sorrowful beauty: a warrior's wounds are like scarlet flowers; and this image is no delight in pain, but a recognition that fidelity to duty transfigures even disfigurement into a likeness of blossoming.