Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 58

Śalya-hatānantarāṇi: Madrarāja-padānugānāṃ praskandana and the Pandava counter-encirclement (शल्यहतानन्तराणि—मद्रराजपदानुगानां प्रस्कन्दनम्)

Devanagari script

ततो युधिष्ठिरश्नापमादायेन्द्रधनुष्प्रभम्‌

Transliteration

tato yudhiṣṭhiraś cāpaṃ ādāyendradhanuṣprabham

Translation

তেতিয়া যুধিষ্ঠিৰে ইন্দ্ৰধনুৰ দৰে দীপ্তিমান ধনু উঠাই ল’লে—যুদ্ধৰ চাপৰ মাজতো ৰাজধৰ্ম পালন কৰাৰ তেওঁৰ দৃঢ় সংকল্প প্ৰকাশ পালে।

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात् अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable)

• युधिष्ठिरः: Yudhiṣṭhira
• युधिष्ठिरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन

• आपम्: water
• आपम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन

• आदाय: having taken
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), परस्मैपदी; अर्थः—‘गृहीत्वा’

• इन्द्रधनुष्प्रभम्: having the radiance of a rainbow
• इन्द्रधनुष्प्रभम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इन्द्रधनुस्-प्रभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• cāpa (bow)
• Indra (by reference)
• Indra’s bow (rainbow)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even a dharma-minded ruler must sometimes take up arms: the verse highlights disciplined resolve—entering action not from rage, but from responsibility within the moral demands of a just war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates that Yudhiṣṭhira physically takes up a radiant bow, a vivid cue that he is preparing to engage in the unfolding battle events of the Śalya Parva.