Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 10

Book 9 (Śalya-parva), Adhyāya 13 — Arjuna’s Arrow-storm and the Drauṇi Confrontation

Devanagari script

सहदेवस्तु समरे मातुल॑ भूरिवर्चसम्‌ | सज्यमन्यद्‌ धनु: कृत्वा पजचभि: समताडयत्‌

Transliteration

sahadevas tu samare mātulaṁ bhūrivarcasam | sajyam anyad dhanuḥ kṛtvā pañcabhiḥ samatāḍayat ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: In the thick of battle, Sahadeva confronted his maternal uncle, the radiant and formidable warrior Śalya. Stringing another bow, he struck him repeatedly with five well-aimed arrows.

Word by Word

• सहदेवः: Sahadeva
• सहदेवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहदेव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• समरे: in battle
• समरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: समर
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• मातुलम्: maternal uncle
• मातुलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातुल
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• भूरिवर्चसम्: of great splendor
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भूरिवर्चस्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• सज्यम्: strung (with the bowstring)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सज्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अन्यत्: another
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• धनुः: bow
• धनुः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कृत्वा: having made
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund)

• पञ्चभिः: with five (arrows)
• पञ्चभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• समताडयत्: struck/smote
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-तड्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Sahadeva
• mātula (maternal uncle)
• bow (dhanuḥ)
• five arrows

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma in wartime: personal relationships, even close kinship, are subordinated to one’s pledged duty and the harsh necessities of battle.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Sahadeva, in combat, readies another bow and strikes his maternal uncle—described as highly radiant—with five arrows.