Mahabharata 7.78.33–35

Jayadratha-vadha-parva (The Wonder of the Invulnerable Armor)7.78.33–35

7172 / 15823

Mahabharata · 7.78.33–35

॥

Devanāgarī

ततो ऽर्जुनो ऽस्त्रवीर्येण निजघ्ने तां वरूथिनीम् ॥
तत्र व्यङ्गीकृताः पेतुः शतशो ऽथ रथद्विपाः ॥
ते हता हन्यमानाश् च न्यगृह्णंस् तं रथोत्तमम् ॥
स रथस्तम्भितस् तस्थौ क्रोशमात्रं समन्ततः ॥
ततो ऽर्जुनं वृष्णिवीरस् त्वरितो वाक्यम् अब्रवीत् ॥
धनुर् विस्फारयात्यर्थम् अहं ध्मास्यामि चाम्बुजम् ॥

Transliteration (IAST)

tato 'rjuno 'stravīryeṇa nijaghne tāṃ varūthinīm ||
tatra vyaṅgīkṛtāḥ petuḥ śataśo 'tha rathadvipāḥ ||
te hatā hanyamānāś ca nyagṛhṇaṃs taṃ rathottamam ||
sa rathastambhitas tasthau krośamātraṃ samantataḥ ||
tato 'rjunaṃ vṛṣṇivīras tvarito vākyam abravīt ||
dhanur visphārayātyartham ahaṃ dhmāsyāmi cāmbujam ||

Word-by-word

SanskritIASTMeaning

ततः अर्जुनः अस्त्रवीर्येणtataḥ arjunaḥ astravīryeṇathen Arjuna, by the might of his weapons; then Arjuna, by the power of his weapons

निजघ्ने ताम् वरूथिनीम्nijaghne tām varūthinīmstruck down that army; smote that host

तत्र व्यङ्गीकृताः पेतुःtatra vyaṅgīkṛtāḥ petuḥthere, mangled, fell; there, maimed, collapsed

शतशः अथ रथद्विपाःśataśaḥ atha rathadvipāḥby hundreds, the chariots and elephants; by hundreds, the charioteers and elephants

ते हताः हन्यमानाः चte hatāḥ hanyamānāḥ cathey, the slain and the being-slain; those, the struck-down and the being-struck-down

न्यगृह्णन् तम् रथोत्तमम्nyagṛhṇan tam rathottamamheld back that finest of chariots; checked that supreme chariot

सः रथस्तम्भितः तस्थौsaḥ rathastambhitaḥ tasthauit, the chariot, halted, stood; that hindered chariot came to a stop

क्रोशमात्रम् समन्ततःkrośamātram samantataḥfor a krosha all around; for about a krosha on every side

ततः अर्जुनम् वृष्णिवीरःtataḥ arjunam vṛṣṇivīraḥthen to Arjuna the Vrishni hero; then to Arjuna the hero of the Vrishnis

त्वरितः वाक्यम् अब्रवीत्tvaritaḥ vākyam abravīthastily spoke this word; quickly said this word

धनुः विस्फारय अत्यर्थम्dhanuḥ visphāraya atyarthamdraw the bow to the utmost; stretch the bow with all your strength

अहम् ध्मास्यामि च अम्बुजम्aham dhmāsyāmi ca ambujamand I shall blow the lotus-conch; and I will sound the conch

Translation

Then Arjuna, by the might of his weapons, struck down that army; there, by the hundreds, mangled chariots and elephants fell. The slain and the dying held back that finest of chariots — the halted chariot stood still for about a krosha all around. Then the hero of the Vrishnis hastily spoke this word to Arjuna: "Draw your bow to the utmost, and I shall blow the conch."

Commentary

Even the fallen bodies of the enemy — "hatā hanyamānāś ca nyagṛhṇan" — by their very heap hold the chariot back: war piles up its own obstruction of the dead. Krishna the charioteer does not stand silent: "aham dhmāsyāmi" — He Himself takes up the trumpeting, sharing the very labor of battle with His devotee. It is significant that the Lord, having taken on a servant's share, acts as an equal. The verse teaches that the Supreme is not a detached witness but a participant in the work of the righteous, and His participation turns a stall into a breakthrough.

Version

06fabf190bf7 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:52:56 PM UTC

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