Mahabharata · 7.83.1–2
॥
Devanāgarī
संजय उवाच
द्रौपदेयान् महेष्वासान् सौमदत्तिर् महायशाः ॥
एकैकं पञ्चभिर् विद्ध्वा पुनर् विव्याध सप्तभिः ॥
ते पीडिता भृशं तेन रौद्रेण सहसा विभो ॥
प्रमूढा नैव विविदुर् मृधे कृत्यं स्म किं चन ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
saṃjaya uvāca
draupadeyān maheṣvāsān saumadattir mahāyaśāḥ ||
ekaikaṃ pañcabhir viddhvā punar vivyādha saptabhiḥ ||
te pīḍitā bhṛśaṃ tena raudreṇa sahasā vibho ||
pramūḍhā naiva vividur mṛdhe kṛtyaṃ sma kiṃ cana ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
द्रौपदेयान् महेष्वासान्draupadeyān maheṣvāsānthe sons of Draupadi, great archers; the Draupadeyas, mighty bowmen
सौमदत्तिः महायशाःsaumadattiḥ mahāyaśāḥthe son of Somadatta, greatly renowned; the son of Somadatta, most illustrious
एकैकम् पञ्चभिः विद्ध्वाekaikam pañcabhiḥ viddhvāpiercing each one with five; piercing each one separately with five
पुनः विव्याध सप्तभिःpunaḥ vivyādha saptabhiḥagain struck with seven; struck once more with seven
ते पीडिताः भृशम् तेनte pīḍitāḥ bhṛśam tenathey, sorely oppressed by him; they, cruelly beset by him
रौद्रेण सहसा विभोraudreṇa sahasā vibhofierce, suddenly, O lord; fierce, at once, O sovereign
प्रमूढाः न एव विविदुःpramūḍhāḥ na eva vividuḥbewildered, knew not at all; confounded, did not understand
मृधे कृत्यम् स्म किं चनmṛdhe kṛtyam sma kiṃ canawhat to do in the fray, at all; what to undertake in the battle
Translation
The greatly renowned son of Somadatta, piercing each of Draupadi's sons, the great archers, with five arrows, struck each again with seven. They, sorely oppressed by him, so fierce and sudden, O lord, were utterly bewildered and knew not at all what to do in the fray.
Version
3a49d9d026c2 · published Jul 19, 2026, 4:02:22 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
For a moment the five young sons of Draupadi are "pramūḍhāḥ", bewildered before the onslaught of a seasoned warrior: youth and numbers do not at once overcome ripened mastery. It is telling that even the valiant may falter for a time when the enemy is fierce and swift. The verse teaches that confusion in adversity is not yet defeat; even the brave know a moment of bewilderment, and what is tested is not whether they once wavered, but whether, coming to themselves, they can rally and answer.