Mahabharata 7.167.12–14

Nārāyaṇāstra-parva (arjunasya anutāpaḥ) (Arjuna's Repentance)7.167.12–14

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Mahabharata · 7.167.12–14

॥

Devanāgarī

के चिद् भ्रान्तै रथैस् तूर्णं निहतपार्ष्णियन्तृभिः ॥
विपताकध्वजच्छत्रैः पार्थिवाः शीर्णकूबरैः ॥
भग्ननीडैर् आकुलाश्वैर् आरुह्यान्ये विचेतसः ॥
भीताः पादैर् हयान् के चित् त्वरयन्तः स्वयं रथैः ॥
युगचक्राक्षभग्नैश् च द्रुताः के चिद् भयातुराः ॥
गजस्कन्धेषु संस्यूता नाराचैश् चलितासनाः ॥
शरार्तैर् विद्रुतैर् नागैर् हृताः के चिद् दिशो दश ॥

Transliteration (IAST)

ke cid bhrāntai rathais tūrṇaṃ nihatapārṣṇiyantṛbhiḥ ||
vipatākadhvajacchatraiḥ pārthivāḥ śīrṇakūbaraiḥ ||
bhagnanīḍair ākulāśvair āruhyānye vicetasaḥ ||
bhītāḥ pādair hayān ke cit tvarayantaḥ svayaṃ rathaiḥ ||
yugacakrākṣabhagnaiś ca drutāḥ ke cid bhayāturāḥ ||
gajaskandheṣu saṃsyūtā nārācaiś calitāsanāḥ ||
śarārtair vidrutair nāgair hṛtāḥ ke cid diśo daśa ||

Word-by-word

SanskritIASTMeaning

के चित् भ्रान्तैः रथैः तूर्णम्ke cit bhrāntaiḥ rathaiḥ tūrṇamsome, on chariots swerving wildly, quickly; some, on chariots careening, swiftly

निहतपार्ष्णियन्तृभिःnihatapārṣṇiyantṛbhiḥwith their side-charioteers slain; with their auxiliary drivers slain

विपताकध्वजच्छत्रैःvipatākadhvajacchatraiḥwithout banners, standards, or canopies; without flags, ensigns, or canopies

पार्थिवाः शीर्णकूबरैःpārthivāḥ śīrṇakūbaraiḥthe kings, with broken chariot-poles; the kings, with shattered poles

भग्ननीडैः आकुलाश्वैःbhagnanīḍaiḥ ākulāśvaiḥwith broken chariot-frames, maddened horses; with shattered chariot-bodies, frenzied horses

आरुह्य अन्ये विचेतसःāruhya anye vicetasaḥmounting, others, bewildered; climbing up, others, dazed

भीताः पादैः हयान् के चित्bhītāḥ pādaiḥ hayān ke citfrightened, with their heels the horses, some; frightened, with their heels [urging] the horses, some

त्वरयन्तः स्वयम् रथैःtvarayantaḥ svayam rathaiḥurging on, [abandoning] their own chariots; hastening, [themselves fleeing] the chariots

युगचक्राक्षभग्नैः चyugacakrākṣabhagnaiḥ cawith yokes, wheels, axles broken; with yokes, wheels, axles shattered

द्रुताः के चित् भयातुराःdrutāḥ ke cit bhayāturāḥfled, some, tormented by fear; fled, others, tormented by fear

गजस्कन्धेषु संस्यूताःgajaskandheṣu saṃsyūtāḥpinned upon the shoulders of elephants; impaled upon the backs of elephants

नाराचैः चलितासनाःnārācaiḥ calitāsanāḥby naracas [arrows], with their seats dislodged; by shafts, from their dislodged seats

शरार्तैः विद्रुतैः नागैःśarārtaiḥ vidrutaiḥ nāgaiḥby wounded, stampeding elephants; by injured, maddened elephants

हृताः के चित् दिशः दशhṛtāḥ ke cit diśaḥ daśasome were carried off in the ten directions; others were carried off in every direction

Translation

Some, upon swerving chariots, swiftly, their side-charioteers slain; kings whose chariots had lost banners, standards, and canopies, with broken poles; others, dazed, having climbed up onto chariots with shattered frames and maddened horses, frightened, urged the horses on with their heels while fleeing themselves; and some, their yokes, wheels, and axles broken, fled in the grip of fear. Some, pinned to the backs of elephants by arrows, their seats dislodged, were carried off in all directions by wounded, stampeding elephants.

Commentary

A detailed picture of the rout: broken chariots, maddened horses, and panicked elephants carry helpless warriors off in every direction. It is significant that in the terror even weapons and harness turn against their own — the elephant carries off its rider, the chariot drags him toward death. The verse teaches that in the hour of panic, one's usual supports become one's ruin; and one who has lost mastery over himself loses mastery over his own instruments as well — they carry him wherever the general dread drives them.

Version

ad42bba10533 · published Jul 19, 2026, 5:08:17 PM UTC

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