Mahabharata · 7.96.20–21
॥
Devanāgarī
तान् एवं ब्रुवतो वीरान् सात्यकिर् निशितैः शरैः ॥
जघान त्रिशतान् अश्वान् कुञ्जरांश् च चतुःशतान् ॥
स संप्रहारस् तुमुलस् तस्य तेषां च धन्विनाम् ॥
देवासुररणप्रख्यः प्रावर्तत जनक्षयः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
tān evaṃ bruvato vīrān sātyakir niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ ||
jaghāna triśatān aśvān kuñjarāṃś ca catuḥśatān ||
sa saṃprahāras tumulas tasya teṣāṃ ca dhanvinām ||
devāsuraraṇaprakhyaḥ prāvartata janakṣayaḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
तान् एवम् ब्रुवतः वीरान्tān evam bruvataḥ vīrān[while] those heroes were speaking thus; [while] those heroes were speaking so
सात्यकिः निशितैः शरैःsātyakiḥ niśitaiḥ śaraiḥSātyaki, with sharpened arrows; Sātyaki, with sharpened arrows
जघान त्रिशतान् अश्वान्jaghāna triśatān aśvānslew three hundred horses; slew three hundred horses
कुञ्जरान् च चतुःशतान्kuñjarān ca catuḥśatānand four hundred elephants; and four hundred elephants
सः संप्रहारः तुमुलःsaḥ saṃprahāraḥ tumulaḥthat clash, tumultuous; that clash, tumultuous
तस्य तेषाम् च धन्विनाम्tasya teṣām ca dhanvināmof him and those bowmen; between him and those archers
देवासुररणप्रख्यःdevāsuraraṇaprakhyaḥresembling the battle of gods and demons; resembling the battle of gods and demons
प्रावर्तत जनक्षयःprāvartata janakṣayaḥbroke out — the destruction of men; broke out — the destruction of men
Translation
[While] those heroes were speaking thus, Sātyaki slew three hundred horses and four hundred elephants with sharpened arrows. That tumultuous clash of him and those bowmen, resembling the battle of gods and demons, broke out — the destruction of men.
Version
1d1372903fa1 · published Jul 19, 2026, 4:08:02 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The clash is again named "janakṣayaḥ," the destruction of men: behind all the brilliance of valor, the epic never forgets its cost. It is telling that even the most fearsome heroism ends in the death of many. The verse teaches that valor and devastation are inseparable on the field of battle: every feat of arms is paid for in lives, and however brightly courage shines, it unfolds amid the "destruction of men" — a bitter reminder of the price of discord.