Mahabharata · 7.80.16–17
॥
Devanāgarī
मयूरो वृषसेनस्य काञ्चनो मणिरत्नवान् ॥
व्याहरिष्यन्न् इवातिष्ठत् सेनाग्रम् अपि शोभयन् ॥
तेन तस्य रथो भाति मयूरेण महात्मनः ॥
यथा स्कन्दस्य राजेन्द्र मयूरेण विराजता ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
mayūro vṛṣasenasya kāñcano maṇiratnavān ||
vyāhariṣyann ivātiṣṭhat senāgram api śobhayan ||
tena tasya ratho bhāti mayūreṇa mahātmanaḥ ||
yathā skandasya rājendra mayūreṇa virājatā ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
मयूरः वृषसेनस्यmayūraḥ vṛṣasenasyaa peacock, Vrishasena's; a peacock, [belonging] to Vrishasena
काञ्चनः मणिरत्नवान्kāñcanaḥ maṇiratnavāngolden, adorned with gems; golden, set with precious stones
व्याहरिष्यन् इव अतिष्ठत्vyāhariṣyan iva atiṣṭhatstood as if about to cry out; froze as though preparing to shriek
सेनाग्रम् अपि शोभयन्senāgram api śobhayangracing even the vanguard of the host; adorning the brow of the army
तेन तस्य रथः भातिtena tasya rathaḥ bhātiwith it his chariot shines; with that [peacock] his chariot gleams
मयूरेण महात्मनःmayūreṇa mahātmanaḥwith the peacock, [belonging to] the great-souled one; with the peacock, of the great-souled one
यथा स्कन्दस्य राजेन्द्रyathā skandasya rājendraas [that] of Skanda, O lord of kings; like [the chariot] of Skanda, O lord of kings
मयूरेण विराजताmayūreṇa virājatāwith a shining peacock; with a gleaming peacock
Translation
"A golden peacock, adorned with gems, [was] Vrishasena's; as if about to cry out, it stood, gracing even the vanguard of the host. With that peacock the chariot of the great-souled one shines, as [the chariot] of Skanda, O lord of kings, shines with a gleaming peacock."
Version
e2bfee503615 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:52:57 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The peacock of Vrishasena, Karna's son, likens his chariot to the car of Skanda, god of war: a sign of youthful, headlong ardor for battle. "Vyāhariṣyan iva", as if about to cry out, the peacock breathes the impatient eagerness of youth. It is telling that the beauty of the banner foretells both the fervor and the fragility of the young warrior. The verse teaches that youthful ardor is as beautiful as a bejeweled peacock, and just as short-lived: brightest shines the one allotted the briefest span upon the field of battle.