Mahabharata · 7.79.4–5
॥
Devanāgarī
भूरिश्रवाः शलः कर्णो वृषसेनो जयद्रथः ॥
कृपश् च मद्रराजश् च द्रौणिश् च रथिनां वरः ॥
ते पिबन्त इवाकाशम् अश्वैर् अष्टौ महारथाः ॥
व्यराजयन् दश दिशो वैयाघ्रैर् हेमचन्द्रकैः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
bhūriśravāḥ śalaḥ karṇo vṛṣaseno jayadrathaḥ ||
kṛpaś ca madrarājaś ca drauṇiś ca rathināṃ varaḥ ||
te pibanta ivākāśam aśvair aṣṭau mahārathāḥ ||
vyarājayan daśa diśo vaiyāghrair hemacandrakaiḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
भूरिश्रवाः शलः कर्णःbhūriśravāḥ śalaḥ karṇaḥBhurishravas, Shala, Karna; Bhurishravas, Shala, Karna
वृषसेनः जयद्रथःvṛṣasenaḥ jayadrathaḥVrishasena, Jayadratha; Vrishasena, Jayadratha
कृपः च मद्रराजः चkṛpaḥ ca madrarājaḥ caand Kripa, and the king of Madra; and Kripa, and the lord of Madra [Shalya]
द्रौणिः च रथिनाम् वरःdrauṇiḥ ca rathinām varaḥand the son of Drona, best of charioteers; and Drauni, foremost among warriors on chariots
ते पिबन्तः इव आकाशम्te pibantaḥ iva ākāśamthey, as if drinking the sky; those, as though drinking the heavens
अश्वैः अष्टौ महारथाःaśvaiḥ aṣṭau mahārathāḥwith their horses, eight great warriors; with [swift] horses, eight maharathas
व्यराजयन् दश दिशःvyarājayan daśa diśaḥillumined the ten quarters; lit up the ten directions
वैयाघ्रैः हेमचन्द्रकैःvaiyāghraiḥ hemacandrakaiḥwith tiger [coverings] set with golden roundels; with tiger [skins] with golden discs
Translation
Bhurishravas, Shala, Karna, Vrishasena, Jayadratha, Kripa, the king of Madra [Shalya], and the son of Drona, best of charioteers -- these eight great warriors, as if their horses were drinking the sky, illumined the ten quarters with tiger [coverings] set with golden roundels.
Version
a05d38e93236 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:52:56 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The eight maharathas -- "pibantaḥ iva ākāśam", as though their horses drink the very sky: an image of power that imagines itself boundless. Yet these eight most formidable warriors gather to save one Jayadratha alone -- and this very disproportion betrays whom they truly fear. It is telling that a glittering multitude converges where there is trembling for one doomed man. The verse teaches that outward splendor and strength of numbers do not overturn what is ordained: eight luminaries gathered to guard one whose fate was already sealed by Shiva's boon with its condition.