Mahabharata · 7.82.18–19
॥
Devanāgarī
तस्मिन् विनिहते शूरे त्रिगर्तानां महारथे ॥
बलं ते ऽभज्यत विभो पाण्डवेयैः समन्ततः ॥
सहदेवे ततः षष्टिं सायकान् दुर्मुखो ऽक्षिपत् ॥
ननाद च महानादं तर्जयन् पाण्डवं रणे ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
tasmin vinihate śūre trigartānāṃ mahārathe ||
balaṃ te 'bhajyata vibho pāṇḍaveyaiḥ samantataḥ ||
sahadeve tataḥ ṣaṣṭiṃ sāyakān durmukho 'kṣipat ||
nanāda ca mahānādaṃ tarjayan pāṇḍavaṃ raṇe ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
तस्मिन् विनिहते शूरेtasmin vinihate śūrewhen that hero was slain; with that hero struck down
त्रिगर्तानाम् महारथेtrigartānām mahārathethe great warrior of the Trigartas; the mahartha of the Trigartas
बलम् ते अभज्यत विभोbalam te abhajyata vibhoyour army broke, O mighty one; your force wavered, O lord
पाण्डवेयैः समन्ततःpāṇḍaveyaiḥ samantataḥby the Pandavas on every side; [beset] by the Pandavas from all quarters
सहदेवे ततः षष्टिम्sahadeve tataḥ ṣaṣṭimthen sixty into Sahadeva; then sixty into Sahadeva
सायकान् दुर्मुखः अक्षिपत्sāyakān durmukhaḥ akṣipatarrows Durmukha hurled; of shafts Durmukha loosed
ननाद च महानादम्nanāda ca mahānādamand roared a great roar; and let out a mighty cry
तर्जयन् पाण्डवम् रणेtarjayan pāṇḍavam raṇemenacing the son of Pandu in battle; threatening the son of Pandu in the fight
Translation
When that hero, the great warrior of the Trigartas, was slain, your army broke, O mighty one, beset by the Pandavas on every side. Then Durmukha hurled sixty arrows at Sahadeva and roared a mighty roar, menacing the son of Pandu in battle.
Version
391c06dababf · published Jul 19, 2026, 4:02:22 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The fall of a single leader breaks an entire host -- "balaṃ te abhajyata": the spirit of an army rests on a few, and with their death the multitude scatters. It is telling how fragile the strength of hosts is when it leans on the lives of its leaders. The verse teaches that the firmness of a gathering of men lies in its supports: while a few strong ones stand, the whole holds together; let them fall, and the host scatters, for number without a spine is no strength.