Mahabharata 7.78.27–29

Jayadratha-vadha-parva (The Wonder of the Invulnerable Armor)7.78.27–29

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Mahabharata · 7.78.27–29

॥

Devanāgarī

ततो ऽस्य निशितैर् बाणैः सुमुक्तैर् अन्तकोपमैः ॥
हयांश् चकार निर्देहान् उभौ च पार्ष्णिसारथी ॥
धनुर् अस्याच्छिनच् चित्रं हस्तावापं च वीर्यवान् ॥
रथं च शकलीकर्तुं सव्यसाची प्रचक्रमे ॥
दुर्योधनं च बाणाभ्यां तीक्ष्णाभ्यां विरथीकृतम् ॥
अविध्यद् धस्ततलयोर् उभयोर् अर्जुनस् तदा ॥

Transliteration (IAST)

tato 'sya niśitair bāṇaiḥ sumuktair antakopamaiḥ ||
hayāṃś cakāra nirdehān ubhau ca pārṣṇisārathī ||
dhanur asyācchinac citraṃ hastāvāpaṃ ca vīryavān ||
rathaṃ ca śakalīkartuṃ savyasācī pracakrame ||
duryodhanaṃ ca bāṇābhyāṃ tīkṣṇābhyāṃ virathīkṛtam ||
avidhyad dhastatalayor ubhayor arjunas tadā ||

Word-by-word

SanskritIASTMeaning

ततः अस्य निशितैः बाणैःtataḥ asya niśitaiḥ bāṇaiḥthen his sharp arrows; then with his sharpened arrows

सुमुक्तैः अन्तकोपमैःsumuktaiḥ antakopamaiḥwell-loosed, resembling the End; skillfully shot, like unto Death

हयान् चकार निर्देहान्hayān cakāra nirdehānmade the horses lifeless; deprived the horses of life

उभौ च पार्ष्णिसारथीubhau ca pārṣṇisārathīand both flank charioteers; and both the side charioteers

धनुः अस्य अच्छिनत् चित्रम्dhanuḥ asya acchinat citramhis bow he cut, the variegated one; he shattered his pied bow

हस्तावापम् च वीर्यवान्hastāvāpam ca vīryavānand the [protective] wristguard, the valiant one; and the leather bracer, the mighty one

रथम् च शकलीकर्तुम्ratham ca śakalīkartumand the chariot — to break to splinters; and the chariot — to smash to pieces

सव्यसाची प्रचक्रमेsavyasācī pracakrameSavyasachin set about [to do]; Savyasachin began [to do]

दुर्योधनम् च बाणाभ्याम्duryodhanam ca bāṇābhyāmand Duryodhana with two arrows; and Duryodhana with two arrows

तीक्ष्णाभ्याम् विरथीकृतम्tīkṣṇābhyām virathīkṛtamsharp, deprived of his chariot; sharp ones, bereft of his chariot

अविध्यत् हस्ततलयोःavidhyat hastatalayoḥpierced in both palms; struck in both palms

उभयोः अर्जुनः तदाubhayoḥ arjunaḥ tadāboth, Arjuna then; both, Arjuna at that time

Translation

Then with sharp, well-loosed arrows resembling Death itself, he deprived the horses of life, and both flank charioteers as well; and, valiant, he shattered his pied bow and his protective wristguard, and Savyasachin set about to smash his chariot to splinters. And Arjuna then pierced Duryodhana, bereft of his chariot, in both palms with two sharp arrows.

Commentary

Unable to pierce the enchanted armor, Arjuna strikes around it: the horses, the charioteers, the bow, the wristguard, and finally — "hastatalayoḥ", both palms holding the weapon. It is significant that the wisdom of valor bypasses what cannot be pierced, stripping it of its support instead; the armor remains whole, but the warrior within it is left helpless. The verse teaches that what is unconquerable in one respect is vulnerable in another, and victory belongs not to the one who strikes the wall, but to the one who takes from the enemy all that his strength rests upon.

Version

75d143062ead · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:52:56 PM UTC

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