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

হে ভাৰত, হে মহাভাগ! পাৰ্থৰ ৰথৰ পথত ভূমিত পৰি থকা ঢিপৰ ওপৰত ঢিপ দেখা গ’ল—ৰথচক্ৰ, জোঁৱাল, তৰকস, পতাকা আৰু ধ্বজ, ভঙা ৰথ, অস্ত্ৰ, টাননি দোৰা, ‘ত্ৰিবেণু’ নামৰ কাঠৰ জোৰা, ধুৰ, ৰজ্জু আৰু চাবুক; লগতে কুণ্ডল আৰু পাগুৰিৰে সজোৱা ছিন্ন মস্তক, বাহু আৰু কাঁধ, আৰু ছত্ৰ, ব্যজন, মুকুটো।

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.