Shloka 64

Śalya–Yudhiṣṭhira Duel and the Discharge of the Śakti (शल्यवधप्रसङ्गः)

Devanagari script

द्वाभ्यामतिशिताग्राभ्यामुभौ तत्‌ पार्ष्णिसारथी । ततोअस्य दीप्यमानेन पीतेन निशितेन च

Transliteration

dvābhyām atiśitāgrābhyām ubhau tat pārṣṇisārathī | tato 'sya dīpyamānena pītena niśitena ca

Translation

قال سَنجايا: ثم إنَّ سائقَ مركبةِ بارشْني ضربَ كِلَيْهِما بسلاحين ذَوَيْ رأسين بالغَيَةِ الحِدَّة؛ ثم عاد فهاجمه بسهمٍ مُتَّقِدٍ متلألئٍ مائلٍ إلى الصفرة، حادِّ الحافة—فزاد من ضراوةِ القتال في خِضَمِّ اندفاعِ الحربِ الذي لا يهدأ.

Word by Word

द्वाभ्याम्with two

अतिशिताग्राभ्याम्with two very sharp-pointed (weapons)

उभौboth (of them)

तत्that

पार्ष्णिसारथीthe two charioteers of Pārṣṇi (i.e., of Krishna)

ततःthen/thereupon

अस्यof him

दीप्यमानेनwith (something) blazing

पीतेनwith a yellow/golden (one)

निशितेनwith a sharp (one)

चand

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Pārṣṇi (Kṛṣṇa)

Pārṣṇi’s charioteer (Kṛṣṇa as Arjuna’s charioteer)

weapons/missiles (śastra/astra)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the grim discipline of kṣatriya-duty in war: skill, decisiveness, and escalation of force occur within a larger ethical tragedy, where even righteous sides must act amid violence and its moral weight.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a rapid sequence in battle: Pārṣṇi’s charioteer (Kṛṣṇa, serving as the charioteer) uses two very sharp-pointed weapons against two targets, and then follows up by launching or employing another blazing, yellow, keen-edged missile against an opponent.