Mahabharata · 7.96.1–2
॥
Devanāgarī
संजय उवाच
जित्वा यवनकाम्बोजान् युयुधानस् ततो ऽर्जुनम् ॥
जगाम तव सैन्यस्य मध्येन रथिनां वरः ॥
शरदंष्ट्रो नरव्याघ्रो विचित्रकवचच्छविः ॥
मृगान् व्याघ्र इवाजिघ्रंस् तव सैन्यम् अभीषयत् ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
saṃjaya uvāca
jitvā yavanakāmbojān yuyudhānas tato 'rjunam ||
jagāma tava sainyasya madhyena rathināṃ varaḥ ||
śaradaṃṣṭro naravyāghro vicitrakavacacchaviḥ ||
mṛgān vyāghra ivājighraṃs tava sainyam abhīṣayat ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
जित्वा यवनकाम्बोजान्jitvā yavanakāmbojānhaving conquered the Yavanas [and] the Kambojas; having conquered the Yavanas and the Kambojas
युयुधानः ततः अर्जुनम्yuyudhānaḥ tataḥ arjunamYuyudhana, then, [toward] Arjuna; Yuyudhana, then, toward Arjuna
जगाम तव सैन्यस्यjagāma tava sainyasyawent, [through] your army; advanced, through your army
मध्येन रथिनाम् वरःmadhyena rathinām varaḥthrough the middle, the best [of] charioteers; through the middle, the foremost of warriors
शरदंष्ट्रः नरव्याघ्रःśaradaṃṣṭraḥ naravyāghraḥ[with] fang-like arrows, tiger among men; with arrows like fangs, tiger among men
विचित्रकवचच्छविःvicitrakavacacchaviḥ[with] the varied gleam of armor; with the varied sheen of his mail
मृगान् व्याघ्रः इव आजिघ्रन्mṛgān vyāghraḥ iva ājighran[like a] tiger scenting prey; like a tiger scenting its prey
तव सैन्यम् अभीषयत्tava sainyam abhīṣayatstruck terror into your army; struck your army with dread
Translation
Having conquered the Yavanas [and] the Kambojas, Yuyudhana, the best [of] charioteers, then went [toward] Arjuna through the middle of your army. [With] fang-like arrows, a tiger among men, [with] the varied gleam of his armor, like a tiger scenting prey, he struck terror into your army.
Version
6195b1071fd0 · published Jul 19, 2026, 4:08:02 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Satyaki is likened to a tiger, "mṛgān vyāghra iva ājighran," scenting its prey: his fearsomeness frightens the army before the blow falls. It is telling that single-minded resolve lends him a predator's inexorability. The verse teaches that determination fixed on a clear goal instills fear by its mere approach: where one who knows what he wants advances, others quail before the battle itself begins, for firm intent is in itself formidable.