Mahabharata 7.163.45–49

Droṇa-vadha-parva (droṇārjuna-divyāstra-yuddha) (The Battle of Droṇa and Arjuna with Divine Weapons)7.163.45–49

8364 / 15823

Mahabharata · 7.163.45–49

॥

Devanāgarī

ततस् त्रासो महान् आसीत् कुरुपाण्डवसेनयोः ॥
सर्वेषां चैव भूतानाम् उद्यते ऽस्त्रे महात्मना ॥
ततः पार्थो ऽप्य् असंभ्रान्तस् तद् अस्त्रं प्रतिजघ्निवान् ॥
ब्रह्मास्त्रेणैव राजेन्द्र ततः सर्वम् अशीशमत् ॥
यदा न गम्यते पारं तयोर् अन्यतरस्य वा ॥
ततः संकुलयुद्धेन तद् युद्धं व्यकुलीकृतम् ॥
नाज्ञायत ततः किं चित् पुनर् एव विशां पते ॥
प्रवृत्ते तुमुले युद्धे द्रोणपाण्डवयोर् मृधे ॥
शरजालैः समाकीर्णे मेघजालैर् इवाम्बरे ॥
न स्म संपतते कश् चिद् अन्तरिक्षचरस् तदा ॥

Transliteration (IAST)

tatas trāso mahān āsīt kurupāṇḍavasenayoḥ ||
sarveṣāṃ caiva bhūtānām udyate 'stre mahātmanā ||
tataḥ pārtho 'py asaṃbhrāntas tad astraṃ pratijaghnivān ||
brahmāstreṇaiva rājendra tataḥ sarvam aśīśamat ||
yadā na gamyate pāraṃ tayor anyatarasya vā ||
tataḥ saṃkulayuddhena tad yuddhaṃ vyakulīkṛtam ||
nājñāyata tataḥ kiṃ cit punar eva viśāṃ pate ||
pravṛtte tumule yuddhe droṇapāṇḍavayor mṛdhe ||
śarajālaiḥ samākīrṇe meghajālair ivāmbare ||
na sma saṃpatate kaś cid antarikṣacaras tadā ||

Word-by-word

SanskritIASTMeaning

ततः त्रासः महान् आसीत्tataḥ trāsaḥ mahān āsītthen great was the terror; then there was great terror

कुरुपाण्डवसेनयोःkurupāṇḍavasenayoḥ[among] the Kuru [and] Pandava armies; among the armies of the Kurus and the Pandavas

सर्वेषाम् च एव भूतानाम्sarveṣām ca eva bhūtānāmand [among] all beings; and among all beings

उद्यते अस्त्रे महात्मनाudyate astre mahātmanā[when] the weapon was raised by the great soul; when the weapon was raised by the great-souled one

ततः पार्थः अपि असंभ्रान्तःtataḥ pārthaḥ api asaṃbhrāntaḥthen Partha, unperturbed; then Partha, undismayed

तत् अस्त्रम् प्रतिजघ्निवान्tat astram pratijaghnivānthat weapon repelled; repelled that weapon

ब्रह्मास्त्रेण एव राजेन्द्रbrahmāstreṇa eva rājendrawith the brahma-weapon indeed, lord of kings; with the very weapon of Brahma, O lord of kings

ततः सर्वम् अशीशमत्tataḥ sarvam aśīśamatthen all he stilled; then he stilled everything

यदा न गम्यते पारम्yadā na gamyate pāramwhen the end is not reached; when neither reaches the limit

तयोः अन्यतरस्य वाtayoḥ anyatarasya vāof either of those two; of either of the two

ततः संकुलयुद्धेनtataḥ saṃkulayuddhenathen by chaotic battle; then by the confused fighting

तत् युद्धम् व्यकुलीकृतम्tat yuddham vyakulīkṛtamthat battle was thrown into disorder; that battle was thrown into disorder

न अज्ञायत ततः किं चित्na ajñāyata tataḥ kiṃ citnothing was discerned then; then nothing could be discerned

पुनः एव विशां पतेpunaḥ eva viśāṃ pateagain, lord of peoples; once more, O lord of peoples

प्रवृत्ते तुमुले युद्धेpravṛtte tumule yuddhe[when] the tumultuous battle had begun; in the tumultuous battle that had begun

द्रोणपाण्डवयोः मृधेdroṇapāṇḍavayoḥ mṛdheof Drona and the Pandava in the clash; of Drona and the Pandava in that clash

शरजालैः समाकीर्णेśarajālaiḥ samākīrṇestrewn with nets of arrows; strewn with nets of arrows

मेघजालैः इव अम्बरेmeghajālaiḥ iva ambareas with nets of clouds in the sky; as if with nets of clouds in the sky

न स्म संपतते कः चित्na sma saṃpatate kaḥ citnot a single one flew by; no one flew by

अन्तरिक्षचरः तदाantarikṣacaraḥ tadāmoving in the sky then; of those moving through the sky, then

Translation

Then great terror seized the armies of the Kurus and the Pandavas, and all beings besides, when the great-souled one raised his weapon. Then Partha, undismayed, repelled that weapon with the very weapon of Brahma, O lord of kings, and thereby stilled everything. Since neither of the two could reach the other's limit, the battle then dissolved into chaotic, confused fighting. Once more, O lord of peoples, nothing at all could be discerned as the tumultuous battle between Drona and the Pandava raged on. The sky, strewn with nets of arrows as if with nets of clouds, saw not a single creature of the air pass through it then.

Commentary

To Drona's weapon of Brahma, Arjuna answers with the weapon of Brahma -- and "stills everything": the highest weapon is quenched by its own equal, and the world is spared conflagration. It is significant that Partha's very composure averts a cosmic terror. The verse teaches that the most fearsome power is checked only by its equal, wielded by a cool and steady spirit; and one who holds both the supreme weapon and himself does not destroy the world but tames destruction -- turning an instrument of ruin into an instrument of peace.

Version

a7bef8ef8553 · published Jul 19, 2026, 5:08:17 PM UTC

Available inRUEN

PreviousVerse 7.163.41–44 NextVerse 7.164.1–4

Page between verses with