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Mahabharata · 7.73.17–18
॥
Санджая
Devanāgarī
उभयोस् तौ रथौ राजंस् ते चाश्वास्तौ च सारथी ॥
रुक्मपुङ्खैः शरैश् छन्नाश् चित्ररूपा बभुस् तदा ॥
निर्मलानाम् अजिह्मानां नाराचानां विशां पते ॥
निर्मुक्ताशीविषाभानां संपातो ऽभूत् सुदारुणः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
ubhayos tau rathau rājaṃs te cāśvāstau ca sārathī ||
rukmapuṅkhaiḥ śaraiś channāś citrarūpā babhus tadā ||
nirmalānām ajihmānāṃ nārācānāṃ viśāṃ pate ||
nirmuktāśīviṣābhānāṃ saṃpāto 'bhūt sudāruṇaḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
उभयोः तौ रथौ राजन्ubhayoḥ tau rathau rājan[of] both those two chariots, O king; of both those chariots, O sovereign
ते च अश्वाः सारथी चte ca aśvāḥ sārathī caand those horses, and both charioteers; and those horses, and both charioteers
रुक्मपुङ्खैः शरैः छन्नाःrukmapuṅkhaiḥ śaraiḥ channāḥcovered with golden-feathered arrows; covered with golden-feathered arrows
चित्ररूपाः बभुः तदाcitrarūpāḥ babhuḥ tadāshone then in variegated form; shone then in variegated form
निर्मलानाम् अजिह्मानाम्nirmalānām ajihmānāmof the clean, straight; of the clean, straight
नाराचानाम् विशां पतेnārācānām viśāṃ pateiron arrows, O lord of peoples; iron arrows, O sovereign
निर्मुक्ताशीविषाभानाम्nirmuktāśīviṣābhānāmresembling snakes that have shed their skin; like snakes that have shed their skin
संपातः अभूत् सुदारुणःsaṃpātaḥ abhūt sudāruṇaḥthe clash was most terrible; the clash was most terrible
Translation
Of both those two chariots, O king, and those horses, and both charioteers, covered with golden-feathered arrows, shone then in variegated colors. Of the clean, straight iron arrows, O lord of peoples, resembling snakes that have shed their skin, the clash was most terrible.
Version
9e5095b29f45 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:52:56 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Chariots, horses, charioteers — all are "rukmapuṅkhaiḥ śaraiḥ channāḥ," studded with golden-feathered arrows, "citrarūpāḥ," made variegated by them. The arrows themselves are "nirmuktāśīviṣābhāḥ," like snakes that have shed their skin. It is telling that even instruments and animals become part of this deadly beauty. The verse teaches that in the clash of the great, everything drawn into it is transfigured by its power: horses and chariots, studded with arrows, themselves become a spectacle of terrible beauty; and the duel of equals sweeps everything around it into its whirlwind, leaving nothing untouched.