Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 65
शल्यस्य पाण्डवसेनापीडनम् — Śalya’s Assault on the Pāṇḍava Host
with Omens and Bhīma’s Counter
आपूर्यमाणा निशितै: शरै: पाण्डवचोदितै: । हतप्रवीरा विध्वस्ता वार्यमाणा समन्तत:
āpūryamāṇā niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ pāṇḍava-coditaiḥ | hata-pravīrā vidhvastā vāryamāṇā samantataḥ ||
Sañjaya said: “Pressed on by the Pāṇḍavas, that host was being filled—pierced through—with sharp arrows. Its foremost heroes were slain; its ranks were shattered; and though it struggled to hold its ground on every side, it was driven back and broken.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the fragility of martial power: when leadership (pravīra) falls and cohesion breaks, even a vast force collapses. Ethically, it reflects the Mahābhārata’s recurring warning that adharma-driven conflict culminates in ruin, while disciplined resolve and coordinated effort determine outcomes in war.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the opposing army is being overwhelmed by sharp arrows launched under the Pāṇḍavas’ impetus. Its leading warriors are killed, formations are shattered, and despite attempts to resist from all sides, it is being driven into disarray.
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