Mahabharata · 7.74.57–58
॥
Devanāgarī
शरवंशं शरस्थूणं शराच्छादनम् अद्भुतम् ॥
शरवेश्माकरोत् पार्थस् त्वष्टेवाद्भुतकर्मकृत् ॥
ततः प्रहस्य गोविन्दः साधु साध्व् इत्य् अथाब्रवीत् ॥
शरवेश्मनि पार्थेन कृते तस्मिन् महारणे ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
śaravaṃśaṃ śarasthūṇaṃ śarācchādanam adbhutam ||
śaraveśmākarot pārthas tvaṣṭevādbhutakarmakṛt ||
tataḥ prahasya govindaḥ sādhu sādhv ity athābravīt ||
śaraveśmani pārthena kṛte tasmin mahāraṇe ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
शरवंशम् शरस्थूणम्śaravaṃśam śarasthūṇam[with] a lattice of arrows, pillars of arrows; with a lattice of arrows, pillars of arrows
शराच्छादनम् अद्भुतम्śarācchādanam adbhutam[with] a roof of arrows, wondrous; with a roof of arrows, wondrous
शरवेश्म अकरोत् पार्थःśaraveśma akarot pārthaḥa house of arrows made Partha; a house of arrows made Partha
त्वष्टा इव अद्भुतकर्मकृत्tvaṣṭā iva adbhutakarmakṛtlike Tvashtri, performer of wondrous deeds; like Tvashtri, doer of wondrous things
ततः प्रहस्य गोविन्दःtataḥ prahasya govindaḥthen, having laughed, Govinda; then, having laughed, Govinda
साधु साधु इति अथ अब्रवीत्sādhu sādhu iti atha abravīt“excellent, excellent!” — then said; “excellent, excellent!” — then spoke
शरवेश्मनि पार्थेनśaraveśmani pārthena[when] the house of arrows by Partha; when the house of arrows by Partha
कृते तस्मिन् महारणेkṛte tasmin mahāraṇewas made, in that great battle; was made, in that great battle
Translation
With a lattice of arrows, pillars of arrows, and a wondrous roof of arrows, Partha built a house of arrows, like Tvashtri, the wondrous craftsman. Then Govinda laughed and said, “Excellent, excellent!” — when that house of arrows was made by Partha in the great battle.
Version
ec4676e4e11a · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:52:56 PM UTC
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The chapter closes with a double miracle of love: a house of arrows (“śaraveśma”) for shelter, a lake of arrows for drinking — Arjuna is revealed as “tvaṣṭā iva,” a Vishvakarman among architects. And the highest reward is “prahasya govindaḥ sādhu sādhu” — the Lord’s laughter and his “excellent!” It is telling that the greatest approval a devotee can receive is the joy of God. The verse teaches that skill turned toward protection and mercy delights the Lord more than any feat of destruction: a house and a lake of arrows, built for the horses’ rest, draw from the Lord a laugh of joy; and the highest reward of service is not glory, but this “sādhu, sādhu” from the Lord’s own lips.