हतं दृष्ट्वा महाकायं बकज्ञातिम् अरिंदमम् ॥
पाञ्चालाः पाण्डवाश् चैव सिंहनादान् विनेदिरे ॥
ततो भेरीसहस्राणि शङ्खानाम् अयुतानि च ॥
अवादयन् पाण्डवेयास् तस्मिन् रक्षसि पातिते ॥
अतीव सा निशा तेषां बभूव विजयावहा ॥
विद्योतमाना विबभौ समन्ताद् दीपमालिनी ॥
अलायुधस्य तु शिरो भैमसेनिर् महाबलः ॥
दुर्योधनस्य प्रमुखे चिक्षेप गतचेतनम् ॥
hataṃ dṛṣṭvā mahākāyaṃ bakajñātim ariṃdamam ||
pāñcālāḥ pāṇḍavāś caiva siṃhanādān vinedire ||
tato bherīsahasrāṇi śaṅkhānām ayutāni ca ||
avādayan pāṇḍaveyās tasmin rakṣasi pātite ||
atīva sā niśā teṣāṃ babhūva vijayāvahā ||
vidyotamānā vibabhau samantād dīpamālinī ||
alāyudhasya tu śiro bhaimasenir mahābalaḥ ||
duryodhanasya pramukhe cikṣepa gatacetanam ||
Then the most mighty one raised a most tumultuous cry. Seeing the huge-bodied kinsman of Baka, the tamer of foes, slain, the Panchalas and the Pandavas raised lion-roars. Then thousands of kettledrums and tens of thousands of conches rang out among the Pandavas at that fallen rakshasa. That night was for them exceedingly victorious, shining, it gleamed, crowned on all sides with lamps. And the head of Alayudha the son of Bhimasena, mighty...
6f82081305ad · published Jul 19, 2026, 4:58:10 PM UTC
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The death of Alayudha turns the Pandavas' night into a victorious one, "crowned with lamps": after the darkness of despair comes triumph. It is telling that the son of Bhima, summoned by Krishna, fulfilled the hope placed in him and saved his father. The verse teaches that help rightly sent turns the course of misfortune; and one placed at the needed spot in the needed hour — a rakshasa in the night against a rakshasa — turns threatened defeat into jubilant victory, and darkness into light.