Mahabharata · 7.97.19–20
॥
Devanāgarī
तत्राद्भुतम् अपश्याम शैनेयचरितं महत् ॥
यद् एको बहुभिः सार्धम् असंभ्रान्तम् अयुध्यत ॥
अवधीच् च रथानीकं द्विरदानां च तद् बलम् ॥
सादिनश् चैव तान् सर्वान् दस्यून् अपि च सर्वशः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
tatrādbhutam apaśyāma śaineyacaritaṃ mahat ||
yad eko bahubhiḥ sārdham asaṃbhrāntam ayudhyata ||
avadhīc ca rathānīkaṃ dviradānāṃ ca tad balam ||
sādinaś caiva tān sarvān dasyūn api ca sarvaśaḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
तत्र अद्भुतम् अपश्यामtatra adbhutam apaśyāmathere wondrous we saw; there we saw a wonder
शैनेयचरितम् महत्śaineyacaritam mahatShaineya's great deed; the great deed of Shaineya
यत् एकः बहुभिः सार्धम्yat ekaḥ bahubhiḥ sārdhamthat one alone with many; that alone, against many
असंभ्रान्तम् अयुध्यतasaṃbhrāntam ayudhyatafought unperturbed; fought without agitation
अवधीत् च रथानीकम्avadhīt ca rathānīkamand slew the array of chariots; and struck down the array of chariots
द्विरदानाम् च तत् बलम्dviradānām ca tat balamand that force of elephants; and that force of elephants
सादिनः च एव तान् सर्वान्sādinaḥ ca eva tān sarvānand all those horsemen; and all those horsemen
दस्यून् अपि च सर्वशःdasyūn api ca sarvaśaḥand marauders utterly; and marauders, every one of them
Translation
"There we saw the wondrous, great deed of Shaineya — that he alone fought unperturbed against many. And he slew the array of chariots, and that force of elephants, and all those horsemen, and the marauders utterly."
Version
889cf7e8726d · published Jul 19, 2026, 4:08:02 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
"Eko bahubhiḥ… asaṃbhrāntam ayudhyata" — alone against many he fought unperturbed: once again, composure is the armor of valor. It is telling that his calm is noted before his strength itself. The verse teaches that in solitude against a multitude what decides is not despair but stillness: one who keeps composure amid the encircling darkness holds himself, and one who holds himself holds the battle too.