Mahabharata · 7.81.7–8
॥
Devanāgarī
तम् अभ्यगाद् बृहत्क्षत्रः केकयानां महारथः ॥
प्रवपन् निशितान् बाणान् महेन्द्राशनिसंनिभान् ॥
तं तु प्रत्युदियाच् छीघ्रं क्षेमधूर्तिर् महायशाः ॥
विमुञ्चन् निशितान् बाणाञ् शतशो ऽथ सहस्रशः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
tam abhyagād bṛhatkṣatraḥ kekayānāṃ mahārathaḥ ||
pravapan niśitān bāṇān mahendrāśanisaṃnibhān ||
taṃ tu pratyudiyāc chīghraṃ kṣemadhūrtir mahāyaśāḥ ||
vimuñcan niśitān bāṇāñ śataśo 'tha sahasraśaḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
तम् अभ्यगात् बृहत्क्षत्रःtam abhyagāt bṛhatkṣatraḥagainst him advanced Brihatkshatra; toward him moved Brihatkshatra
केकयानाम् महारथःkekayānām mahārathaḥthe great warrior of the Kekayas; the maharatha of the Kekayas
प्रवपन् निशितान् बाणान्pravapan niśitān bāṇānsowing sharp arrows; showering sharp arrows
महेन्द्राशनिसंनिभान्mahendrāśanisaṃnibhānresembling the thunderbolt of great Indra; like the lightning-bolt of great Indra
तम् तु प्रत्युदियात् शीघ्रम्tam tu pratyudiyāt śīghramswiftly came forth to meet him; and swiftly stepped forth to face him
क्षेमधूर्तिः महायशाःkṣemadhūrtiḥ mahāyaśāḥKshemadhurti of great renown; Kshemadhurti of high renown
विमुञ्चन् निशितान् बाणान्vimuñcan niśitān bāṇānreleasing sharp arrows; letting loose sharp arrows
शतशः अथ सहस्रशःśataśaḥ atha sahasraśaḥby the hundreds and thousands; by hundreds, indeed by thousands
Translation
"Against him advanced Brihatkshatra, the great warrior of the Kekayas, sowing sharp arrows resembling the thunderbolt of great Indra. And swiftly came forth to meet him the greatly renowned Kshemadhurti, releasing sharp arrows by the hundreds and thousands."
Version
faf423885d9d · published Jul 19, 2026, 4:02:22 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The chain of duels begins with the meeting of equals: against the fearsome comes the fearsome, "pratyudiyāt śīghram," stepping forth without delay. It is telling that valor does not shrink back but goes to meet strength. The verse teaches that in the hour of trial a man's worth shows itself in his readiness to meet the challenge face to face: strength is not proven by never being called upon, but by the one who, the instant he sees his foe, steps forward against him without hesitation.