Mahabharata · 7.76.28–29
॥
Devanāgarī
बाहुभ्याम् इव संतीर्णौ सिन्धुषष्ठाः समुद्रगाः ॥
तपान्ते सरितः पूर्णा महाग्राहसमाकुलाः ॥
इति कृष्णौ महेष्वासौ यशसा लोकविश्रुतौ ॥
सर्वभूतान्य् अमन्यन्त द्रोणास्त्रबलविस्मयात् ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
bāhubhyām iva saṃtīrṇau sindhuṣaṣṭhāḥ samudragāḥ ||
tapānte saritaḥ pūrṇā mahāgrāhasamākulāḥ ||
iti kṛṣṇau maheṣvāsau yaśasā lokaviśrutau ||
sarvabhūtāny amanyanta droṇāstrabalavismayāt ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
बाहुभ्याम् इव संतीर्णौbāhubhyām iva saṃtīrṇauas if having swum across with arms alone; as if having crossed with arms alone
सिन्धुषष्ठाः समुद्रगाःsindhuṣaṣṭhāḥ samudragāḥthose six rivers, running to the sea; those six rivers, flowing to the sea
तपान्ते सरितः पूर्णाःtapānte saritaḥ pūrṇāḥat the end of the hot season, the rivers full; at the close of summer's heat, the rivers full
महाग्राहसमाकुलाःmahāgrāhasamākulāḥswarming with great crocodiles; swarming with great crocodiles
इति कृष्णौ महेष्वासौiti kṛṣṇau maheṣvāsauso the two Krishnas, the great archers; so the two Krishnas, mighty bowmen
यशसा लोकविश्रुतौyaśasā lokaviśrutaurenowned in the world by their fame; renowned in the world by their fame
सर्वभूतानि अमन्यन्तsarvabhūtāni amanyantaall beings so thought; all beings thus thought
द्रोणास्त्रबलविस्मयात्droṇāstrabalavismayātout of amazement at the power of Drona's weapon; out of astonishment at the might of Drona's arms
Translation
As if the six rivers running to the sea, full at the end of the hot season and swarming with great crocodiles, had been swum across with arms alone — so all beings, seized with wonder at the power of Drona's weapon, thought of the two Krishnas, the great archers renowned in the world by their fame.
Version
30c558ba46f2 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:52:56 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
All beings are struck with wonder "droṇāstrabalavismayāt", at the power of Drona's weapon — and all the more at the breakthrough achieved against it. The image of "bāhubhyām saṃtīrṇau", of crossing rivers with the arms alone, without a boat, shows perfection achieved by one's own strength — yet behind it stands the Lord. It is significant that the might of Drona only sets off the greatness of the breakthrough. The verse teaches that the more fearsome the obstacle, the more evident the greatness of the one who overcomes it: Drona's strength does not diminish but magnifies the breakthrough; and the overcoming of the hardest trial, together with God, astonishes the very beings themselves, glorifying those who prevail before the whole world.