Mahabharata · 7.74.1–2
॥
Devanāgarī
संजय उवाच
परिवर्तमाने त्व् आदित्ये तत्र सूर्यस्य रश्मिभिः ॥
रजसा कीर्यमाणाश् च मन्दीभूताश् च सैनिकाः ॥
तिष्ठतां युध्यमानानां पुनर् आवर्तताम् अपि ॥
भज्यतां जयतां चैव जगाम तद् अहः शनैः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
saṃjaya uvāca
parivartamāne tv āditye tatra sūryasya raśmibhiḥ ||
rajasā kīryamāṇāś ca mandībhūtāś ca sainikāḥ ||
tiṣṭhatāṃ yudhyamānānāṃ punar āvartatām api ||
bhajyatāṃ jayatāṃ caiva jagāma tad ahaḥ śanaiḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
परिवर्तमाने तु आदित्येparivartamāne tu ādityewhen the sun was turning (toward setting); when the sun was declining
तत्र सूर्यस्य रश्मिभिःtatra sūryasya raśmibhiḥthere by the rays of the sun; there by the rays of the sun
रजसा कीर्यमाणाः चrajasā kīryamāṇāḥ caand covered with dust; and covered with dust
मन्दीभूताः च सैनिकाःmandībhūtāḥ ca sainikāḥand the exhausted warriors; and the exhausted warriors
तिष्ठताम् युध्यमानानाम्tiṣṭhatām yudhyamānānāmof those standing, fighting; of those standing, fighting
पुनः आवर्तताम् अपिpunaḥ āvartatām apiand returning again; and returning again
भज्यताम् जयताम् च एवbhajyatām jayatām ca evabeing broken and being victorious; being broken and being victorious
जगाम तत् अहः शनैःjagāma tat ahaḥ śanaiḥthat day passed slowly; that day passed slowly
Translation
As the sun turned toward its setting, there, beneath its rays, the warriors — covered in dust and grown weary, standing and fighting, retreating and returning again, being broken and yet triumphing — that day passed slowly.
Version
5c90d762af54 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:52:56 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
'Parivartamāne āditye,' 'the sun was turning' — time presses upon Arjuna, for his vow is bound to sunset. The warriors are 'mandībhūtāḥ,' worn out, and the day drags on. It is significant that Time itself, in the form of the sun, becomes a participant in the drama — the measure by which the fulfillment of the oath is counted. The verse teaches that Time governs every undertaking: the declining sun compels haste, and one who remembers the deadline labors with an eye on the sunset — for a lost hour cannot be regained, and Time does not wait for the exhausted.