Mahabharata · 7.72.10–11
॥
Devanāgarī
कुञ्जराश्वनरान् संख्ये पातयन्तः पतत्रिभिः ॥
तालमात्राणि चापानि विकर्षन्तो महारथाः ॥
असिचर्माणि चापानि शिरांसि कवचानि च ॥
विप्रकीर्यन्त शूराणां संप्रहारे महात्मनाम् ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
kuñjarāśvanarān saṃkhye pātayantaḥ patatribhiḥ ||
tālamātrāṇi cāpāni vikarṣanto mahārathāḥ ||
asicarmāṇi cāpāni śirāṃsi kavacāni ca ||
viprakīryanta śūrāṇāṃ saṃprahāre mahātmanām ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
कुञ्जराश्वनरान् संख्येkuñjarāśvanarān saṃkhyeelephants, horses, men in battle; elephants, horses, men in battle
पातयन्तः पतत्रिभिःpātayantaḥ patatribhiḥfelling [them] with feathered [arrows]; felling them with feathered arrows
तालमात्राणि चापानिtālamātrāṇi cāpānibows the size of a palm tree; bows the size of a palm tree
विकर्षन्तः महारथाःvikarṣantaḥ mahārathāḥdrawing, the great warriors; drawing, the maharathas
असिचर्माणि चापानिasicarmāṇi cāpāniswords, shields, bows; swords, shields, bows
शिरांसि कवचानि चśirāṃsi kavacāni caheads and armor; heads and armor
विप्रकीर्यन्त शूराणाम्viprakīryanta śūrāṇāmlay scattered [among] the heroes; lay scattered among the heroes
संप्रहारे महात्मनाम्saṃprahāre mahātmanāmin the clash of the great-souled; in the clash of the mighty
Translation
Felling elephants, horses, and men in battle with feathered arrows, drawing bows the size of a palm tree, the great warriors [fought]. Swords, shields, bows, heads, and armor of the heroes lay scattered in the clash of the great-souled.
Version
e5bf0427d91a · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:52:56 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The list of scattered things -- swords, shields, heads, armor -- paints the field as a place of universal disintegration. 'Tālamātrāṇi cāpāni,' 'bows the size of a palm tree,' underscores the might of the fighters. It is significant that all this strength turns into heaps of wreckage and flesh. The verse teaches that the greatest might in fratricide only multiplies destruction: the stronger the warriors, the greater the scattered bodies and weapons; and the palm-sized bows of the mighty serve not creation but ruin -- the bitter outcome of strength deprived of peace.