Mahabharata 6.86.19 — Bhishma Parva, Adhyaya 86, Shloka 19

Adhyāya 86: Irāvān’s Lineage, Cavalry Clash, and the Māyā-Duel Ending in Irāvān’s Fall

Devanagari script

तावेकस्थौ रणे वीरावावन्त्यौ रथिनां वरौ । शरान्‌ मुमुचतुस्तूर्णमिरावति महात्मनि

Transliteration

tāv ekasthau raṇe vīrāv āvantyau rathināṃ varau | śarān mumucatus tūrṇam irāvati mahātmani ||

Translation

三阇耶说道：那两位阿槃提的勇士——车战武士中最为卓绝者——并肩立于战场，以极快之势，向高魂的伊罗梵倾泻连绵箭雨。

Word by Word

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• एकस्थौ: standing/situated together in one place (on one chariot)
• एकस्थौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एकस्थ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• वीरौ: two heroes
• वीरौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• आवन्त्यौ: Avanti-born (from Avanti)
• आवन्त्यौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आवन्त्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• रथिनाम्: of chariot-warriors
• रथिनाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथिन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• वरौ: the best (two)
• वरौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• शरान्: arrows
• शरान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• मुमुचतुः: they released/shot
• मुमुचतुः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Dual, Parasmaipada

• तूर्णम्: swiftly
• तूर्णम्: Karana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तूर्णम्

• इरावति: upon Irāvān
• इरावति: Adhikarana
• Type: ProperNoun
• Root: इरावत्
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• महात्मनि: on the great-souled (one)
• महात्मनि: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Avanti (Āvanti)
• the two Avanti heroes (unnamed here)
• Irāvān
• chariot (ratha)
• arrows (śara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the kṣatriya world of Kurukṣetra: coordinated martial action and unwavering engagement in battle. Ethically, it reflects how war compresses moral space—valor and duty are foregrounded even when the opponent is described as mahātman (noble), reminding readers that nobility does not exempt one from the harsh mechanics of conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya reports that two renowned chariot-warriors from Avanti, acting together, rapidly shoot volleys of arrows at Irāvān on the battlefield, intensifying the combat around him.