Mahabharata · 7.79.28–29
॥
Devanāgarī
प्रहसंस् तु नरव्याघ्रः श्वेताश्वः कृष्णसारथिः ॥
प्रत्यविध्यत् स तान् सर्वान् दर्शयन् पाणिलाघवम् ॥
कर्णं द्वादशभिर् विद्ध्वा वृषसेनं त्रिभिः शरैः ॥
शल्यस्य समरे चापं मुष्टिदेशे न्यकृन्तत ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
prahasaṃs tu naravyāghraḥ śvetāśvaḥ kṛṣṇasārathiḥ ||
pratyavidhyat sa tān sarvān darśayan pāṇilāghavam ||
karṇaṃ dvādaśabhir viddhvā vṛṣasenaṃ tribhiḥ śaraiḥ ||
śalyasya samare cāpaṃ muṣṭideśe nyakṛntata ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
प्रहसन् तु नरव्याघ्रःprahasan tu naravyāghraḥsmiling, that tiger among men; but, smiling, that tiger among men
श्वेताश्वः कृष्णसारथिःśvetāśvaḥ kṛṣṇasārathiḥwith white horses, with Krishna as charioteer; on white horses, with Krishna as his charioteer
प्रत्यविध्यत् सः तान् सर्वान्pratyavidhyat saḥ tān sarvānpierced all of them; struck all of them in return
दर्शयन् पाणिलाघवम्darśayan pāṇilāghavamdisplaying skill of hand; showing dexterity of hand
कर्णम् द्वादशभिः विद्ध्वाkarṇam dvādaśabhiḥ viddhvāhaving pierced Karna with twelve; piercing Karna with twelve
वृषसेनम् त्रिभिः शरैःvṛṣasenam tribhiḥ śaraiḥVrishasena -- with three arrows; Vrishasena -- with three arrows
शल्यस्य समरे चापम्śalyasya samare cāpamShalya's bow in the battle; the bow of Shalya in the fight
मुष्टिदेशे न्यकृन्ततmuṣṭideśe nyakṛntatacut off at the grip; severed at the very grip
Translation
Smiling, that tiger among men, with white horses and Krishna as his charioteer, pierced all of them in return, displaying skill of hand. Having pierced Karna with twelve [arrows] and Vrishasena with three arrows, he cut off Shalya's bow in the battle at the grip.
Version
48838d8e44dc · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:52:56 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
"Prahasan… darśayan pāṇilāghavam" -- Arjuna answers the nine with a smile, displaying deftness of hand at play: where the enemies show strain and fury, he shows calm mastery. It is telling that one kept by Krishna as charioteer knows no confusion even ringed by the mightiest. The verse teaches that true skill, resting on closeness to the Lord, acts without fear or haste; a serene smile amid the onslaught of many is the mark of strength drawn not from oneself but from Him who holds the reins.