Mahabharata · 7.73.15–16
॥
Devanāgarī
नाराचैर् अतिविद्धानां शराणां रूपम् आबभौ ॥
आशीविषविदष्टानां सर्पाणाम् इव भारत ॥
तयोर् ज्यातलनिर्घोषो व्यश्रूयत सुदारुणः ॥
अजस्रं शैलशृङ्गाणां वज्रेणाहन्यताम् इव ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
nārācair atividdhānāṃ śarāṇāṃ rūpam ābabhau ||
āśīviṣavidaṣṭānāṃ sarpāṇām iva bhārata ||
tayor jyātalanirghoṣo vyaśrūyata sudāruṇaḥ ||
ajasraṃ śailaśṛṅgāṇāṃ vajreṇāhanyatām iva ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
नाराचैः अतिविद्धानाम्nārācaiḥ atividdhānāmdeeply pierced by iron arrows; deeply pierced by arrows
शराणाम् रूपम् आबभौśarāṇām rūpam ābabhauthe form of the arrows appeared; the form of the arrows appeared
आशीविषविदष्टानाम्āśīviṣavidaṣṭānāmbitten by venomous serpents; bitten by venomous serpents
सर्पाणाम् इव भारतsarpāṇām iva bhārataas if, O Bharata; as if, O Bharata
तयोः ज्यातलनिर्घोषःtayoḥ jyātalanirghoṣaḥ[from] them the sound of bowstring and armguard; from them the sound of bowstring and vambrace
व्यश्रूयत सुदारुणःvyaśrūyata sudāruṇaḥwas heard, most terrible; was heard, most terrible
अजस्रम् शैलशृङ्गाणाम्ajasram śailaśṛṅgāṇāmceaselessly, [as of] mountain peaks; ceaselessly, as of mountain peaks
वज्रेण आहन्यताम् इवvajreṇa āhanyatām ivaas if struck by the thunderbolt; as if struck by the thunderbolt
Translation
The arrows, deeply pierced by iron shafts, appeared like serpents bitten by venomous snakes, O Bharata. From the two of them, the sound of bowstring and armguard was heard, most terrible, ceaseless, as of mountain peaks struck by the thunderbolt.
Version
fd6285ba0cb1 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:52:56 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The images pile up: arrows like serpents, the roar of bowstrings like thunderbolts striking mountain peaks. The poet exhausts language to convey the unexampled nature of the clash. It is telling that only comparisons to the elements — serpents, thunderbolts, mountains — suffice for equals. The verse teaches that the greatest contest exceeds the measure of human words: it can only be likened to thunder and mountains; and when equals meet, description must resort to the elements, for human scales are already too small for their encounter.