Mahabharata · 7.78.6–7
॥
Devanāgarī
अदृष्टपूर्वं पश्यामि शिलानाम् इव सर्पणम् ॥
त्वया संप्रेषिताः पार्थ नार्थं कुर्वन्ति पत्रिणः ॥
कच्चिद् गाण्डीवतः प्राणास् तथैव भरतर्षभ ॥
मुष्टिश् च ते यथापूर्वं भुजयोश् च बलं तव ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
adṛṣṭapūrvaṃ paśyāmi śilānām iva sarpaṇam ||
tvayā saṃpreṣitāḥ pārtha nārthaṃ kurvanti patriṇaḥ ||
kaccid gāṇḍīvataḥ prāṇās tathaiva bharatarṣabha ||
muṣṭiś ca te yathāpūrvaṃ bhujayoś ca balaṃ tava ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
अदृष्टपूर्वम् पश्यामिadṛṣṭapūrvam paśyāmiI see something never seen before; I behold what has never been seen before
शिलानाम् इव सर्पणम्śilānām iva sarpaṇamlike a slipping off rocks; as if a sliding down cliffs
त्वया संप्रेषिताः पार्थtvayā saṃpreṣitāḥ pārthasent by you, Partha; loosed by you, Partha
न अर्थम् कुर्वन्ति पत्रिणःna artham kurvanti patriṇaḥdo not accomplish their purpose, the feathered [arrows]; do not do their work, the winged [arrows]
कच्चित् गाण्डीवतः प्राणाःkaccit gāṇḍīvataḥ prāṇāḥis the might of Gandiva intact; is the life of Gandiva unimpaired
तथा एव भरतर्षभtathā eva bharatarṣabhaas before, bull [among] the Bharatas; still, as ever, o bull of the Bharatas
मुष्टिः च ते यथापूर्वम्muṣṭiḥ ca te yathāpūrvamand your grip as before; and your grasp as of old
भुजयोः च बलम् तवbhujayoḥ ca balam tavaand the strength of your two arms; and the might of your arms
Translation
"I see something never seen before — like a sliding off rocks: the feathered arrows you loose, Partha, do not reach their mark. Is the might of Gandiva intact as before, bull among the Bharatas, and your grip as of old, and the strength of both your arms?"
Version
81025b104461 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:52:56 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The Lord asks not from ignorance, but to awaken resolve in His devotee. "Kaccit... prāṇāḥ" — "is the might of Gandiva alive?" — a question that turns Arjuna back upon himself. It is significant that the All-Knowing questions as a man does: thus He draws out in us what we ourselves have forgotten. The verse teaches that a stumble in action is a call to test not the weapon, but the firmness of one's own hand and spirit.