Mahabharata 7.131.134–135

Ghaṭotkaca-vadha-parva (drauṇi-rākṣasa-yuddha): Aśvatthāman's Night Battle with the Rākṣasas7.131.134–135

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Mahabharata · 7.131.134–135

॥

Devanāgarī

अथ शरशतभिन्नकृत्तदेहैर्; हतपतितैः क्षणदाचरैः समन्तात् ॥
निधनम् उपगतैर् मही कृताभूद्; गिरिशिखरैर् इव दुर्गमातिरौद्रा ॥
तं सिद्धगन्धर्वपिशाचसंघा; नागाः सुपर्णाः पितरो वयांसि ॥
रक्षोगणा भूतगणाश् च द्रौणिम्; अपूजयन्न् अप्सरसः सुराश् च ॥

Transliteration (IAST)

atha śaraśatabhinnakṛttadehair; hatapatitaiḥ kṣaṇadācaraiḥ samantāt ||
nidhanam upagatair mahī kṛtābhūd; giriśikharair iva durgamātiraudrā ||
taṃ siddhagandharvapiśācasaṃghā; nāgāḥ suparṇāḥ pitaro vayāṃsi ||
rakṣogaṇā bhūtagaṇāś ca drauṇim; apūjayann apsarasaḥ surāś ca ||

Word-by-word

SanskritIASTMeaning

अथ शरशतभिन्नकृत्तदेहैःatha śaraśatabhinnakṛttadehaiḥthen with bodies cut by hundreds of arrows; then -- with bodies cut apart by hundreds of arrows

हतपतितैः क्षणदाचरैः समन्तात्hatapatitaiḥ kṣaṇadācaraiḥ samantātwith the slain, fallen night-rangers all around; with the slain, fallen night-rangers [rakshasas] everywhere

निधनम् उपगतैः मही कृता अभूत्nidhanam upagataiḥ mahī kṛtā abhūtby those who had come to death, the earth was made; by those who had come to their death, the earth became

गिरिशिखरैः इव दुर्गमा अतिरौद्राgiriśikharaiḥ iva durgamā atiraudrālike mountain peaks, impassable, most terrible; as if by mountain peaks -- impassable, most terrible

तम् सिद्धगन्धर्वपिशाचसंघाःtam siddhagandharvapiśācasaṃghāḥhim, the hosts of siddhas, gandharvas, pishachas; him -- the hosts of siddhas, gandharvas, pishachas

नागाः सुपर्णाः पितरः वयांसिnāgāḥ suparṇāḥ pitaraḥ vayāṃsinagas, suparnas, ancestors, birds; nagas, suparnas, ancestors, birds

रक्षोगणाः भूतगणाः च द्रौणिम्rakṣogaṇāḥ bhūtagaṇāḥ ca drauṇimhosts of rakshasas and hosts of bhutas, Drauni; the hosts of rakshasas and bhutas -- Drauni

अपूजयन् अप्सरसः सुराः चapūjayan apsarasaḥ surāḥ cahonored, apsaras and gods; honored [him], both apsaras and gods

Translation

Then -- with bodies cut apart by hundreds of arrows, with the slain, fallen night-ranging rakshasas lying everywhere, all come to their death -- the earth became, as if by mountain peaks, impassable and most terrible. Him -- Drauni -- the hosts of siddhas, gandharvas, and pishachas, the nagas, suparnas, ancestors, and birds, the hosts of rakshasas and bhutas, and the apsaras and gods alike, all honored.

Commentary

The chapter is crowned with the universal glorification of Ashvatthaman -- by siddhas, gods, ancestors, even the rakshasas themselves: valor acknowledged by the whole of creation. It is telling that the earth becomes "impassable with mountains of corpses" -- behind the praise stands a mountain of the dead. The verse teaches that the greatest valor draws the homage of all worlds; but this homage is inseparable from the horror of what was done -- and glory sung by the gods is paid for by a field made impassable with bodies.

Version

ea7c9e5872db · published Jul 19, 2026, 4:40:45 PM UTC

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