Mahabharata · 7.73.23–24
॥
Devanāgarī
रथिनो हस्तियन्तारो हयारोहाः पदातयः ॥
अवैक्षन्ताचलैर् नेत्रैः परिवार्य रथर्षभौ ॥
हस्त्यनीकान्य् अतिष्ठन्त तथानीकानि वाजिनाम् ॥
तथैव रथवाहिन्यः प्रतिव्यूह्य व्यवस्थिताः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
rathino hastiyantāro hayārohāḥ padātayaḥ ||
avaikṣantācalair netraiḥ parivārya ratharṣabhau ||
hastyanīkāny atiṣṭhanta tathānīkāni vājinām ||
tathaiva rathavāhinyaḥ prativyūhya vyavasthitāḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
रथिनः हस्तियन्तारःrathinaḥ hastiyantāraḥchariot-warriors, elephant-drivers; chariot-warriors, elephant-drivers
हयारोहाः पदातयःhayārohāḥ padātayaḥhorsemen, foot-soldiers; horsemen, foot-soldiers
अवैक्षन्त अचलैः नेत्रैःavaikṣanta acalaiḥ netraiḥgazed with unmoving eyes; gazed with unmoving eyes
परिवार्य रथर्षभौparivārya ratharṣabhausurrounding the two bulls among charioteers; surrounding the two bulls among charioteers
हस्त्यनीकानि अतिष्ठन्तhastyanīkāni atiṣṭhantathe elephant divisions stood still; the elephant divisions stood still
तथा अनीकानि वाजिनाम्tathā anīkāni vājināmso too the divisions of horses; so too the divisions of horses
तथा एव रथवाहिन्यःtathā eva rathavāhinyaḥso too the chariot hosts; so too the chariot hosts
प्रतिव्यूह्य व्यवस्थिताःprativyūhya vyavasthitāḥarrayed against each other, stood there; arrayed against each other, they stood
Translation
Chariot-warriors, elephant-drivers, horsemen, foot-soldiers gazed with unmoving eyes, surrounding the two bulls among charioteers. The elephant divisions stood still, and so did the divisions of horses, and so too the chariot hosts, arrayed against each other, stood there.
Version
0ec699562c52 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:52:56 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
All freeze "acalaiḥ netraiḥ," with unmoving eyes, encircling the two of them. The warring armies, arrayed against each other, have stopped as a single ring of onlookers. It is telling that shared wonder momentarily abolishes enmity. The verse teaches that the beauty of valor unites even enemies in contemplation: before the greatness of the duel the sides are erased, and all become one enchanted assembly; there are moments when admiration for the beautiful outweighs hatred, establishing over the field a brief unity.