Shloka 52
Śalya-hatānantarāṇi: Madrarāja-padānugānāṃ praskandana and the Pandava counter-encirclement (शल्यहतानन्तराणि—मद्रराजपदानुगानां प्रस्कन्दनम्)
प्रसार्य बाहू च रथाद् गतो गां संछिजन्नवर्मा कुरुनन्दनेन | महेन्द्रवाहप्रतिमो महात्मा वज्राहतं शुद्रमिवाचलस्य,कुरुनन्दन! भीमसेनने जिनके कवचको छिज्न-भिन्न कर डाला था, वे इन्द्रके ऐरावत हाथीके समान विशालकाय राजा शल्य दोनों बाहें फैलाकर वज्जके मारे हुए पर्वत-शिखरकी भाँति रथसे पृथ्वीपर गिर पड़े
sañjaya uvāca |
prasārya bāhū ca rathād gato gāṃ saṃchijann avarmā kurunandanena |
mahendravāhapratimo mahātmā vajrāhataṃ śudram ivācalasya ||
সঞ্জয়ে ক’লে— হে কুৰুনন্দন! ভীমসেনে যাৰ বর্ম ছিন্নভিন্ন কৰি পেলাইছিল, সেই মহাত্মা, মহেন্দ্ৰৰ বাহন ঐৰাৱতৰ দৰে বিশালদেহী ৰজা শল্য দুয়ো বাহু প্ৰসাৰিত কৰি ৰথৰ পৰা মাটিত পৰি গ’ল—যেন বজ্ৰাহত পৰ্বতশিখৰ ভাঙি পৰিল।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the fragility of worldly might: even a colossal, celebrated warrior can be brought down when his defenses fail. It implicitly warns against reliance on strength and status alone, highlighting the inevitability of consequence in righteous warfare and the impermanence of embodied power.
Sañjaya describes King Śalya being struck down in battle: his armor has been torn apart by Bhīmasena, and Śalya falls from his chariot to the ground with arms outstretched, compared to a mountain-peak shattered by Indra’s thunderbolt.