Mahabharata 7.82.30–32

Jayadratha-vadha-parva (The Outcome of the Duels)7.82.30–32

7234 / 15823

Mahabharata · 7.82.30–32

॥

Devanāgarī

नकुलस् ते सुतं राजन् विकर्णं पृथुलोचनम् ॥
मुहूर्ताज् जितवान् संख्ये तद् अद्भुतम् इवाभवत् ॥
सात्यकिं व्याघ्रदत्तस् तु शरैः संनतपर्वभिः ॥
चक्रे ऽदृश्यं साश्वसूतं सध्वजं पृतनान्तरे ॥
तान् निवार्य शराञ् शूरः शैनेयः कृतहस्तवत् ॥
साश्वसूतध्वजं बाणैर् व्याघ्रदत्तम् अपातयत् ॥

Transliteration (IAST)

nakulas te sutaṃ rājan vikarṇaṃ pṛthulocanam ||
muhūrtāj jitavān saṃkhye tad adbhutam ivābhavat ||
sātyakiṃ vyāghradattas tu śaraiḥ saṃnataparvabhiḥ ||
cakre 'dṛśyaṃ sāśvasūtaṃ sadhvajaṃ pṛtanāntare ||
tān nivārya śarāñ śūraḥ śaineyaḥ kṛtahastavat ||
sāśvasūtadhvajaṃ bāṇair vyāghradattam apātayat ||

Word-by-word

SanskritIASTMeaning

नकुलः ते सुतम् राजन्nakulaḥ te sutam rājanNakula your son, O king; Nakula your son, O king

विकर्णम् पृथुलोचनम्vikarṇam pṛthulocanamVikarna, wide-eyed; Vikarna, large-eyed

मुहूर्तात् जितवान् संख्येmuhūrtāt jitavān saṃkhyedefeated in a moment in battle; overcame in an instant in the fight

तत् अद्भुतम् इव अभवत्tat adbhutam iva abhavatthat became like a wonder; this turned out as if a marvel

सात्यकिम् व्याघ्रदत्तः तुsātyakim vyāghradattaḥ tuSatyaki, however, Vyaghradatta; but Satyaki, Vyaghradatta

शरैः संनतपर्वभिःśaraiḥ saṃnataparvabhiḥwith smooth-jointed arrows; with [arrows] having smooth joints

चक्रे अदृश्यम् साश्वसूतम्cakre adṛśyam sāśvasūtammade invisible, with horses, charioteer; made unseen, with horses and charioteer

सध्वजम् पृतनान्तरेsadhvajam pṛtanāntarewith its banner, in the midst of the host; with its standard, amid the army

तान् निवार्य शरान् शूरःtān nivārya śarān śūraḥhaving warded off those arrows, the hero; having repelled those arrows, the hero

शैनेयः कृतहस्तवत्śaineyaḥ kṛtahastavatthe descendant of Shini, like a skilled hand; the Shaineya, like a master of hand

साश्वसूतध्वजम् बाणैःsāśvasūtadhvajam bāṇaiḥwith horses, charioteer, banner -- with arrows; [him] with horses, charioteer, and standard -- with arrows

व्याघ्रदत्तम् अपातयत्vyāghradattam apātayatbrought down Vyaghradatta; felled Vyaghradatta

Translation

Nakula, O king, defeated your son Vikarna, the wide-eyed, in a single moment in battle -- it seemed like a wonder. And Vyaghradatta made Satyaki, with his horses, charioteer, and banner, vanish amid the host with smooth-jointed arrows. Warding off those arrows, the hero, descendant of Shini, like a master of the hand, brought down Vyaghradatta, with his horses, charioteer, and banner, with arrows.

Commentary

Nakula overcomes Vikarna "muhūrtāt", in a single instant -- yet Vikarna was that one among the sons of Dhritarashtra who alone in the assembly spoke up for the insulted Draupadi. It is grievous that the just man perishes together with the unjust, for he took his stand in the same rank as they. It is telling that the choice of side decides one's fate beyond personal merit. The verse teaches that nobility of character will not save one who has bound his fate to an unrighteous cause: he who has joined the ranks of adharma will share their fall, however worthy he himself may be.

Version

9e1d772d766c · published Jul 19, 2026, 4:02:22 PM UTC

Available inRUEN

PreviousVerse 7.82.28–29 NextVerse 7.82.33–36

Page between verses with