Mahabharata · 7.81.9–10
॥
Devanāgarī
धृष्टकेतुश् च चेदीनाम् ऋषभो ऽतिबलोदितः ॥
त्वरितो ऽभ्यद्रवद् द्रोणं महेन्द्र इव शम्बरम् ॥
तम् आपतन्तं सहसा व्यादितास्यम् इवान्तकम् ॥
वीरधन्वा महेष्वासस् त्वरमाणः समभ्ययात् ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
dhṛṣṭaketuś ca cedīnām ṛṣabho 'tibaloditaḥ ||
tvarito 'bhyadravad droṇaṃ mahendra iva śambaram ||
tam āpatantaṃ sahasā vyāditāsyam ivāntakam ||
vīradhanvā maheṣvāsas tvaramāṇaḥ samabhyayāt ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
धृष्टकेतुः च चेदीनाम्dhṛṣṭaketuḥ ca cedīnāmand Dhrishtaketu, of the Chedis; and Dhrishtaketu, [bull] of the Chedis
ऋषभः अतिबलोदितःṛṣabhaḥ atibaloditaḥthe bull, filled with mighty strength; the bull, uplifted by great might
त्वरितः अभ्यद्रवत् द्रोणम्tvaritaḥ abhyadravat droṇamswiftly rushed at Drona; impetuously charged at Drona
महेन्द्रः इव शम्बरम्mahendraḥ iva śambaramlike great Indra against Shambara; as great Indra [advancing] against Shambara
तम् आपतन्तम् सहसाtam āpatantam sahasāhim, swiftly bearing down; him, suddenly bearing down
व्यादितास्यम् इव अन्तकम्vyāditāsyam iva antakamas though [he were] Death with jaws agape; as if [he were] Death with mouth gaping wide
वीरधन्वा महेष्वासःvīradhanvā maheṣvāsaḥViradhanvan, the great archer; Viradhanvan, the mighty bowman
त्वरमाणः समभ्ययात्tvaramāṇaḥ samabhyayāthastening, came forth to meet [him]; hastening, went out to face him
Translation
"And Dhrishtaketu, the bull of the Chedis, filled with mighty strength, swiftly rushed at Drona, like great Indra against Shambara. Him, bearing down swiftly, as though he were Death with jaws agape, the hastening Viradhanvan, the great archer, went out to meet."
Version
4e75fbab201b · published Jul 19, 2026, 4:02:22 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Dhrishtaketu is likened to Indra advancing on Shambara, and to Death itself with mouth agape — fearsome images, yet both warriors remain mortal. It is telling that even one who bears down "vyāditāsyam iva antakam," like Death itself, is met by another who steps forward to face him without fear. The verse teaches that on the field of battle every man is terrible to another, and none there is unconquerable: he who seems Death itself to one man is, to another, merely an adversary to be met.