Mahabharata · 7.73.52–53
॥
Devanāgarī
ततो युद्धम् अभूद् राजंस् तव तेषां च धन्विनाम् ॥
रजसा संवृते लोके शरजालसमावृते ॥
सर्वम् आविग्नम् अभवन् न प्राज्ञायत किं चन ॥
सैन्येन रजसा ध्वस्ते निर्मर्यादम् अवर्तत ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
tato yuddham abhūd rājaṃs tava teṣāṃ ca dhanvinām ||
rajasā saṃvṛte loke śarajālasamāvṛte ||
sarvam āvignam abhavan na prājñāyata kiṃ cana ||
sainyena rajasā dhvaste nirmaryādam avartata ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
ततः युद्धम् अभूत् राजन्tataḥ yuddham abhūt rājanthen there was battle, O king; then there was battle, O sovereign
तव तेषाम् च धन्विनाम्tava teṣām ca dhanvināmof your archers and theirs; of your archers and theirs
रजसा संवृते लोकेrajasā saṃvṛte lokewhen the world was covered in dust; when the world was covered in dust
शरजालसमावृतेśarajālasamāvṛteand covered with a net of arrows; and covered with a net of arrows
सर्वम् आविग्नम् अभवत्sarvam āvignam abhavateverything became agitated, thrown into confusion; everything fell into confusion
न प्राज्ञायत किं चनna prājñāyata kiṃ cananothing could be discerned; nothing could be discerned
सैन्येन रजसा ध्वस्तेsainyena rajasā dhvastewhen the army was veiled in dust; when the army was veiled in dust
निर्मर्यादम् अवर्ततnirmaryādam avartatathe battle raged boundlessly, without rule; the battle raged without rule
Translation
Then there was battle, O king, of your archers and theirs, when the world was covered in dust and covered with a net of arrows. Everything fell into confusion; nothing could be discerned. When the army was veiled in dust, the battle raged without rule.
Version
3010f0eb4882 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:52:56 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The chapter closes with the return of chaos: nothing could be discerned, the battle without rule. The bright moment of reverent stillness over the duel gives way to the murk of general carnage. It is telling that after the sublime, chaos returns once more. The verse teaches that moments of beauty and reverence in this world are brief: after the stillness of admiration, murk and disorder return. One must therefore treasure those rare openings when even war itself pauses before greatness of spirit, for the world soon sinks again into darkness 'without rule.'