Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 173

शल्यस्य पाण्डवसेनापीडनम् — Śalya’s Assault on the Pāṇḍava Host

with Omens and Bhīma’s Counter

Devanagari script

नकुलो>प्यग्रसत्‌ तां वै चर्मणा लघुविक्रम: । उस समय चित्रसेन पैदल आक्रमण करनेवाले नकुलके ऊपर बाणोंकी वृष्टि करने लगा। परंतु शीघ्रतापूर्वक पराक्रम प्रकट करनेवाले नकुलने ढालके द्वारा ही रोककर उस बाण-वर्षाको नष्ट कर दिया

Transliteration

Nakulo 'py agrasat tāṃ vai carmaṇā laghu-vikramaḥ.

Translation

Sañjaya said: Nakula too pressed forward. Swift in action, he used his shield to check the oncoming shower of arrows, nullifying the missile-rain directed at him. The scene underscores disciplined courage in battle—meeting aggression not with rashness, but with alert defense and controlled valor.

Word by Word

• नकुलः: Nakula
• नकुलः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नकुल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• अग्रसत्: advanced/attacked/pressed forward
• Type: Verb
• Root: अग्रस् (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• ताम्: her/that (f.)
• ताम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• वै: indeed/surely
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• चर्मणा: with a shield (leather)
• चर्मणा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: चर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• लघु-विक्रमः: one whose prowess is swift
• लघु-विक्रमः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लघुविक्रम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Nakula
• Chitrasena
• shield (carma)
• arrows (bāṇa)
• shower of arrows (bāṇa-vṛṣṭi)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid violence, the warrior ideal emphasizes disciplined courage: protecting oneself and maintaining composure, responding with skill and restraint rather than reckless fury.

What is happening in the narrative?

Chitrasena, fighting on foot, showers Nakula with arrows; Nakula advances and uses his shield to ward off and effectively neutralize the arrow-rain.