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Mahabharata · 7.82.3–4
॥
Санджая
Devanāgarī
क्षेमधूर्तिस् तु संक्रुद्धः केकयस्य महात्मनः ॥
धनुश् चिच्छेद भल्लेन पीतेन निशितेन च ॥
अथैनं छिन्नधन्वानं शरेण नतपर्वणा ॥
विव्याध हृदये तूर्णं प्रवरं सर्वधन्विनाम् ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
kṣemadhūrtis tu saṃkruddhaḥ kekayasya mahātmanaḥ ||
dhanuś ciccheda bhallena pītena niśitena ca ||
athainaṃ chinnadhanvānaṃ śareṇa nataparvaṇā ||
vivyādha hṛdaye tūrṇaṃ pravaraṃ sarvadhanvinām ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
क्षेमधूर्तिः तु संक्रुद्धःkṣemadhūrtiḥ tu saṃkruddhaḥKshemadhurti, however, enraged; but Kshemadhurti, furious
केकयस्य महात्मनःkekayasya mahātmanaḥof the Kekaya, great of soul; of the Kekaya, great in spirit
धनुः चिच्छेद भल्लेनdhanuḥ ciccheda bhallenacut the bow with a broad-headed [arrow]; severed the bow with a bhalla
पीतेन निशितेन चpītena niśitena cayellow and sharpened; yellow and sharpened
अथ एनम् छिन्नधन्वानम्atha enam chinnadhanvānamthen him, with his bow cut; then him, deprived of his bow
शरेण नतपर्वणाśareṇa nataparvaṇāwith a smooth-jointed arrow; with an [arrow] with a smooth joint
विव्याध हृदये तूर्णम्vivyādha hṛdaye tūrṇampierced in the heart swiftly; struck in the heart at once
प्रवरम् सर्वधन्विनाम्pravaram sarvadhanvināmthe foremost of all archers; the very first of all bowmen
Translation
Kshemadhurti, enraged, cut with a yellow, sharpened, broad-headed arrow the bow of the Kekaya, great of soul; then, his bow shattered, he swiftly pierced him, the foremost of all archers, in the heart with a smooth-jointed arrow.
Version
29133fc802d3 · published Jul 19, 2026, 4:02:22 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The battle sways now one way, now the other: the one who a moment ago was pressing forward is himself pierced in the heart. It is telling that supremacy in war is fleeting -- "pravaraṃ sarvadhanvinām", the best of all archers, is himself wounded in his turn. The verse teaches that in battle there is no secure advantage: fortune passes from hand to hand, and today's victor is struck down tomorrow, for no mortal is granted to hold triumph fast, any more than one can hold flowing water in a cupped palm.