Mahabharata · 7.72.6–7
॥
Devanāgarī
द्रोणः पाञ्चालपुत्रेण बली बलवता सह ॥
विचिक्षेप पृषत्कौघांस् तद् अद्भुतम् इवाभवत् ॥
पुण्डरीकवनानीव विध्वस्तानि समन्ततः ॥
चक्राते द्रोणपाञ्चाल्यौ नृणां शीर्षाण्य् अनेकशः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
droṇaḥ pāñcālaputreṇa balī balavatā saha ||
vicikṣepa pṛṣatkaughāṃs tad adbhutam ivābhavat ||
puṇḍarīkavanānīva vidhvastāni samantataḥ ||
cakrāte droṇapāñcālyau nṛṇāṃ śīrṣāṇy anekaśaḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
द्रोणः पाञ्चालपुत्रेणdroṇaḥ pāñcālaputreṇaDrona with the son of Panchala; Drona with the son of Panchala
बली बलवता सहbalī balavatā sahathe strong, with the strong; the strong, with the strong
विचिक्षेप पृषत्कौघान्vicikṣepa pṛṣatkaughānhurled streams of arrows; hurled streams of arrows
तत् अद्भुतम् इव अभवत्tat adbhutam iva abhavatthat was as if a wonder; that was as if a wonder
पुण्डरीकवनानि इवpuṇḍarīkavanāni ivaas if lotus groves; like lotus groves
विध्वस्तानि समन्ततःvidhvastāni samantataḥscattered everywhere; scattered everywhere
चक्राते द्रोणपाञ्चाल्यौcakrāte droṇapāñcālyauDrona and the Panchalean made; Drona and the Panchalean made
नृणाम् शीर्षाणि अनेकशःnṛṇām śīrṣāṇi anekaśaḥthe heads of men in great numbers; the heads of men in great numbers
Translation
Drona with the son of Panchala, the strong with the strong, hurled streams of arrows -- that was as if a wonder. Like lotus groves scattered everywhere, Drona and the Panchalean made the heads of men, in great numbers.
Version
01d06009498b · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:52:56 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Again severed heads -- 'puṇḍarīkavanāni iva,' like lotus groves. 'Balī balavatā saha,' 'the strong with the strong': a meeting of equals. It is significant that the fruit of their equal might is heaps of human heads, like plucked lotuses. The verse teaches that the clash of the great is paid for by the many small lives: when 'the strong meet the strong,' unnumbered nameless hosts perish; and the beauty of the lotus image does not soften but sharpens the bitterness -- the flower of human lives falls beneath the feet of warring giants.