Mahabharata 7.78.13–15

Jayadratha-vadha-parva (The Wonder of the Invulnerable Armor)7.78.13–15

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Mahabharata · 7.78.13–15

॥

Devanāgarī

न शक्यम् एतत् कवचं बाणैर् भेत्तुं कथं चन ॥
अपि वज्रेण गोविन्द स्वयं मघवता युधि ॥
जानंस् त्वम् अपि वै कृष्ण मां विमोहयसे कथम् ॥
यद्वृत्तं त्रिषु लोकेषु यच् च केशव वर्तते ॥
तथा भविष्यद् यच् चैव तत् सर्वं विदितं तव ॥
न त्व् एवं वेद वै कश् चिद् यथा त्वं मधुसूदन ॥

Transliteration (IAST)

na śakyam etat kavacaṃ bāṇair bhettuṃ kathaṃ cana ||
api vajreṇa govinda svayaṃ maghavatā yudhi ||
jānaṃs tvam api vai kṛṣṇa māṃ vimohayase katham ||
yadvṛttaṃ triṣu lokeṣu yac ca keśava vartate ||
tathā bhaviṣyad yac caiva tat sarvaṃ viditaṃ tava ||
na tv evaṃ veda vai kaś cid yathā tvaṃ madhusūdana ||

Word-by-word

SanskritIASTMeaning

न शक्यम् एतत् कवचम्na śakyam etat kavacamit is impossible this armor; one cannot [pierce] this mail

बाणैः भेत्तुम् कथं चनbāṇaiḥ bhettum kathaṃ canato pierce with arrows in any way; to pierce with arrows by any means

अपि वज्रेण गोविन्दapi vajreṇa govindaeven with the thunderbolt, Govinda; even with the vajra, Govinda

स्वयम् मघवता युधिsvayam maghavatā yudhiby Maghavan himself in battle; by Indra himself in the fray

जानन् त्वम् अपि वै कृष्णjānan tvam api vai kṛṣṇaknowing, you indeed, Krishna; though you know it, Krishna

माम् विमोहयसे कथम्mām vimohayase kathamwhy do you confound me; why do you bewilder me

यत् वृत्तम् त्रिषु लोकेषुyat vṛttam triṣu lokeṣuwhat has happened in the three worlds; what has come to pass in the three worlds

यत् च केशव वर्ततेyat ca keśava vartateand what, Keshava, is happening; and what, Keshava, is now taking place

तथा भविष्यत् यत् च एवtathā bhaviṣyat yat ca evaand likewise what will be; and likewise what shall come to be

तत् सर्वम् विदितम् तवtat sarvam viditam tavaall that is known to you; all that is known to you

न तु एवम् वेद वैna tu evam veda vaibut no one indeed knows thus; yet no one truly knows it thus

कः चित् यथा त्वम्kaḥ cit yathā tvamanyone, as you; no one [else], as you

मधुसूदनmadhusūdanaO Madhusudana; O slayer of [the demon] Madhu

Translation

"This armor cannot be pierced by arrows in any way, Govinda — not even by Maghavan himself in battle, with the thunderbolt. Why then, Krishna, do you who know this confound me? What has happened in the three worlds, and what, Keshava, is happening now, and what shall come to be — all that is known to you; and no one knows it as you do, Madhusudana."

Commentary

Here, through the mouth of the devotee, the omniscience of the Lord is proclaimed: "yat vṛttaṃ... yat vartate... yat bhaviṣyat — tat sarvaṃ viditaṃ tava" — the past, present and future of the three worlds lie open to Him alone. "Vimohayase katham" — "why do you bewilder me?" — the reproach of one who loves, discovering that Krishna asked already knowing the answer. It is significant that the All-Knowing plays at not-knowing, so as to draw from the devotee a word of faith. The verse teaches that the Lord knows all, and His questions are no need to learn, but a mercy that moves us to speak the truth.

Version

87fec0779609 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:52:56 PM UTC

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