Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 163

Adhyāya 14: Śalya’s Missile-Pressure and the Pāṇḍava Convergence (शल्यस्य शरवर्षम्)

Devanagari script

समदृश्यन्त पार्थस्य रथमार्गेषु भारत । भारत! महाभाग! अर्जुनके रथके मार्गोमें धरतीपर गिरते हुए रथके पहियों

Transliteration

saṃdadṛśyanta pārthasya rathamārgeṣu bhārata | bhārata mahābhāga arjunasya rathasya mārgeṣu pṛthivyāṃ patantīnāṃ rathacakrāṇāṃ yūnām iṣudhīnām patākānāṃ dhvajānāṃ rathānāṃ harasānām anukarṣāṇāṃ triveṇunāmaka-kāṣṭhānāṃ dhurāṇāṃ rajjūnāṃ prahārakāṇāṃ kuṇḍalavatāṃ śirobhir uṣṇīṣadhāriṇāṃ mastakaiḥ bāhubhiḥ skandhaiḥ chatraiḥ vyajanaiḥ mukuṭaiś ca śataśo dhairyaṃ dṛśyante sma

Translation

قال سنجيا: يا بهاراتا، يا ذا الحظ العظيم—على امتداد آثار عجلات مركبة بارثا ظهرت على الأرض أكوامٌ فوق أكوام مما سقط في الهزيمة: عجلات المركبات، النِّير، جِعاب السهام، الرايات والألوية، مركبات محطمة، أسلحة وحبال جرّ، وقطع خشبية تُسمّى «تريفينو»، ومحاور، وحبال وسياط؛ بل حتى رؤوسٌ مقطوعة مزينة بأقراط وعمائم، وأذرع وأكتاف، ومعها مظلات ومراوح وتيجان. كان ذلك المشهد علامةً على قوة اندفاع أرجونا الكاسحة، وعلى الثمن الكئيب الذي تفرضه فورة الحرب.

Word by Word

• समदृश्यन्त: were seen/appeared
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+दृश्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Plural, Ātmanepada

• पार्थस्य: of Pārtha (Arjuna)
• पार्थस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• रथमार्गेषु: in the chariot-tracks/paths
• रथमार्गेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथमार्ग
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• भारत: O Bhārata
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• संजय (Sañjaya)
• पार्थ / अर्जुन (Pārtha/Arjuna)
• भारत (Bhārata—address to Dhṛtarāṣṭra)
• रथ (chariot)
• रथचक्र (chariot wheels)
• यू (yoke)
• इषुधि (quivers)
• पताका (banners)
• ध्वज (standards)
• धुरा (axles/shafts)
• रज्जु (ropes)
• चाबुक/प्रहारक (whips)
• कुण्डल (earrings)
• उष्णीष (turbans)
• छत्र (parasols)
• व्यजन (fans/fly-whisks)
• मुकुट (crowns)
• त्रिवेणु (wooden chariot fitting)
• अनुकर्ष (drag-gear/trace)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the stark reality of war: even royal splendor—crowns, parasols, banners—becomes scattered debris, highlighting impermanence and the heavy human cost that accompanies martial success.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes to Dhṛtarāṣṭra the aftermath along Arjuna’s chariot path: broken chariot parts and fallen weapons mixed with severed, ornamented body parts and royal emblems, indicating Arjuna’s devastating advance through the enemy ranks.