Mahabharata 9.14.6 — Shalya Parva, Adhyaya 14, Shloka 6

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

Devanagari script

तथा कृष्णौ महेष्वासौ वृषभौ सर्वधन्विनाम्‌

Transliteration

tathā kṛṣṇau maheṣvāsau vṛṣabhau sarvadhanvinām

Translation

সঞ্জয় বললেন—তদ্রূপ সেই দুই কৃষ্ণ, মহাধনুর্ধর, সকল ধনুর্ধারীর মধ্যে শ্রেষ্ঠ, নিজ নিজ বংশের অগ্রগণ্য ষাঁড়ের ন্যায়, রণে অতুল পরাক্রমে দীপ্তিমান ছিলেন।

Word by Word

• तथा: thus; likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• कृष्णौ: the two Krishnas (Krishna and Arjuna)
• कृष्णौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• महेष्वासौ: the two great archers
• महेष्वासौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महेष्वास
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• वृषभौ: the two bulls; the foremost two
• वृषभौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृषभ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• सर्वधन्विनाम्: of all archers
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वधन्विन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• the two Krishnas (Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights exemplary excellence joined with rightful purpose: true leaders in a dharma-oriented conflict are those whose skill and steadiness set the standard for others, not merely those who wield power.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya, narrating the battlefield events to Dhritarashtra, praises the preeminence of the two Krishnas—Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna—describing them as supreme among archers, using the metaphor of leading bulls to convey dominance and distinction.