Mahabharata · 7.94.3
॥
Devanāgarī
तम् एवम् उक्त्वा शिनिपुंगवस् तदा; महामृधे सो ऽग्र्यधनुर्धरो ऽरिहा ॥
किरन् समन्तात् सहसा शरान् बली; समापतच् छ्येन इवामिषं यथा ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
tam evam uktvā śinipuṃgavas tadā; mahāmṛdhe so 'gryadhanurdharo 'rihā ||
kiran samantāt sahasā śarān balī; samāpatac chyena ivāmiṣaṃ yathā ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
तम् एवम् उक्त्वा शिनिपुंगवः तदाtam evam uktvā śinipuṃgavaḥ tadāso having spoken, the bull of Shini's line then; so having said this, the bull of Shini's line then
महामृधे सः अग्र्यधनुर्धरः अरिहाmahāmṛdhe saḥ agryadhanurdharaḥ arihāin the great battle, the foremost archer, slayer of foes; in the great combat, the foremost bowman, destroyer of enemies
किरन् समन्तात् सहसा शरान् बलीkiran samantāt sahasā śarān balīscattering arrows on every side, suddenly, the mighty one; scattering arrows on all sides at once, the powerful one
समापतत् श्येनः इव आमिषम् यथाsamāpatat śyenaḥ iva āmiṣam yathāswooped, like a hawk upon its prey; swooped down, as a hawk upon its prey
Translation
So having spoken, the bull of Shini's line then, in the great battle the foremost archer, slayer of foes, scattering arrows on every side all at once, mighty, swooped like a hawk upon its prey.
Version
058655659bb0 · published Jul 19, 2026, 4:08:02 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Having voiced humility, Satyaki at once samapatat syena iva, swoops like a hawk: disclaiming merit is not the same as inaction. It is telling that the awareness of being an instrument does not slacken him but instead gives him wings -- for one who acts by the Lord's will is swift and fearless. The verse teaches that humility and valor are not at odds: one who knows himself an instrument in the hand of God acts all the more decisively, free from fear and vanity, since it is not by his own strength that he is moved, but by the will of the Highest.