Mahabharata · 7.74.41–42
॥
Devanāgarī
संजय उवाच
सो ऽवतीर्य रथोपस्थाद् असंभ्रान्तो धनंजयः ॥
गाण्डीवं धनुर् आदाय तस्थौ गिरिर् इवाचलः ॥
तम् अभ्यधावन् क्रोशन्तः क्षत्रिया जयकाङ्क्षिणः ॥
इदं छिद्रम् इति ज्ञात्वा धरणीस्थं धनंजयम् ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
saṃjaya uvāca
so 'vatīrya rathopasthād asaṃbhrānto dhanaṃjayaḥ ||
gāṇḍīvaṃ dhanur ādāya tasthau girir ivācalaḥ ||
tam abhyadhāvan krośantaḥ kṣatriyā jayakāṅkṣiṇaḥ ||
idaṃ chidram iti jñātvā dharaṇīsthaṃ dhanaṃjayam ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
सः अवतीर्य रथोपस्थात्saḥ avatīrya rathopasthāthe, descending from the platform of the chariot; he, having stepped down from the chariot's platform
असंभ्रान्तः धनंजयःasaṃbhrāntaḥ dhanaṃjayaḥDhananjaya, unshaken; Dhananjaya, unshaken
गाण्डीवम् धनुः आदायgāṇḍīvam dhanuḥ ādāyataking up the bow Gandiva; taking up the bow Gandiva
तस्थौ गिरिः इव अचलःtasthau giriḥ iva acalaḥstood like an unmoving mountain; stood like a motionless mountain
तम् अभ्यधावन् क्रोशन्तःtam abhyadhāvan krośantaḥthey rushed at him, shouting; they rushed at him, shouting
क्षत्रियाः जयकाङ्क्षिणःkṣatriyāḥ jayakāṅkṣiṇaḥkshatriyas, longing for victory; kshatriyas, longing for victory
इदम् छिद्रम् इति ज्ञात्वाidam chidram iti jñātvā"here is a gap" -- so reasoning; "here is a gap" -- thinking so
धरणीस्थम् धनंजयम्dharaṇīstham dhanaṃjayamseeing Dhananjaya standing on the ground; Dhananjaya standing on the ground
Translation
He, stepping down from the chariot's platform, Dhananjaya, unshaken, taking up the bow Gandiva, stood like an unmoving mountain. Kshatriyas longing for victory rushed at him, shouting, reasoning: "Here is a gap" -- seeing Dhananjaya standing on the ground.
Version
e702af25c246 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:52:56 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Having stepped down from his chariot for the sake of the horses, Arjuna "tasthau giriḥ iva acalaḥ" -- stands like an unmoving mountain. His enemies take this for "chidram" -- a gap, a weakness. But they will be mistaken. It is telling that the enemies mistook mercy toward the horses for vulnerability. The verse teaches that virtue is often taken for weakness: one who steps down to tend the voiceless seems an easy prey; but the merciful is not defenseless -- standing like a mountain, bow in hand, he only shows that care for the weak does not diminish strength but crowns it.