ŚB 6.12.17
Devanagari
प्राणग्लहोऽयं समर इष्वक्षो वाहनासन: ।
अत्र न ज्ञायतेऽमुष्य जयोऽमुष्य पराजय: ॥ १७ ॥
अत्र न ज्ञायतेऽमुष्य जयोऽमुष्य पराजय: ॥ १७ ॥
Verse text
prāṇa-glaho ’yaṁ samara
iṣv-akṣo vāhanāsanaḥ
atra na jñāyate ’muṣya
jayo ’muṣya parājayaḥ
iṣv-akṣo vāhanāsanaḥ
atra na jñāyate ’muṣya
jayo ’muṣya parājayaḥ
Synonyms
prāṇa-glahaḥ — life is the stake; ayam — this; samaraḥ — battle; iṣu-akṣaḥ — the arrows are the dice; vāhana-āsanaḥ — the carriers such as the horses and elephants are the game board; atra — here (in this gambling match); na — not; jñāyate — is known; amuṣya — of that one; jayaḥ — victory; amuṣya — of that one; parājayaḥ — defeat.
Translation
O my enemy, consider this battle a gambling match in which our lives are the stakes, the arrows are the dice, and the animals acting as carriers are the game board. No one can understand who will be defeated and who will be victorious. It all depends on providence.