Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 21

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

Devanagari script

भीमसेनो<5थ नाराचं ज्वलन्तमिव पन्नगम्‌

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | bhīmaseno 'tha nārācaṃ jvalantam iva pannagam prāhiṇot | nakulaḥ saṅgrāmabhūmau śalyapar śaktiṃ mumoca | sahadevaḥ sundarāṃ gadāṃ prāhiṇot | dharmarājo yudhiṣṭhiraś ca raṇakṣetre śalyaṃ hantum icchan śataghnīprahāraṃ cakāra |

Translation

Sañjaya said: Then Bhīmasena launched a barbed arrow, blazing like a serpent of fire. Nakula, on the battlefield, hurled a spear at Śalya. Sahadeva sent forth a splendid mace. And King Yudhiṣṭhira, intent on slaying Śalya, struck at him in the field with a shataghnī.

Word by Word

• भीमसेनः: Bhimasena
• भीमसेनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीमसेन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अथ: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• नाराचम्: an iron arrow (nārāca)
• नाराचम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाराच
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• ज्वलन्तम्: blazing
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्वलत्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• इव: like/as if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• पन्नगम्: a serpent
• Type: Noun
• Root: पन्नग
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Bhimasena (Bhima)
• Nakula
• Sahadeva
• Dharmaraja Yudhishthira
• Shalya
• nārāca (iron-headed arrow)
• śakti (spear/javelin)
• gadā (mace)
• śataghnī
• saṅgrāmabhūmi (battlefield)
• raṇakṣetra (field of battle)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in war, action is framed as duty and purpose: the Pandavas act with coordinated resolve to neutralize a dangerous adversary. The verse highlights intention (to end Shalya’s threat) and disciplined execution, underscoring the Mahabharata’s recurring tension between necessary violence and ethical responsibility.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya reports a sequence of attacks on Shalya: Bhima shoots a fierce nārāca likened to a blazing serpent; Nakula hurls a śakti; Sahadeva sends a mace; and Yudhishthira strikes with a śataghnī, aiming to kill Shalya on the battlefield.