Shloka 48

Ādi Parva, Adhyāya 103 — Dhṛtarāṣṭra–Gāndhārī Vivāha: Proposal, Consent, and the Vow

Devanagari script

अस्त्रैरस्त्राणि संवार्य शाल्वराजस्य कौरव: । भीष्मो नृपतिशार्दूल न्‍न्यवधीत्‌ तस्य सारथिम्‌,नृपश्रेष्ठ फिर अपने अस्त्रोंसे राजा शाल्वके अस्त्रोंका निवारण करके कुरुवंशी भीष्मने उसके सारथिको भी मार डाला

Transliteration

astrair astrāṇi saṃvārya śālvarājasya kauravaḥ | bhīṣmo nṛpatiśārdūlan nyavadhīt tasya sārathim ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: Bhīṣma aus dem Kuru-Geschlecht—ein Löwe unter Königen—wehrte die Waffen König Śālvas mit den seinen ab und erschlug darauf auch Śālvas Wagenlenker.

Word by Word

अस्त्रैःwith weapons

अस्त्राणिweapons (missiles)

संवार्यhaving warded off / restrained

शाल्वराजस्यof King Śālva

कौरवःthe Kaurava (scion of Kuru line)

भीष्मःBhīṣma

नृपतिशार्दूलम्the tiger among kings (vocative sense in context)

न्यवधीत्slew / killed

तस्यof him / his

सारथिम्charioteer

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśaṃpāyana

Bhīṣma

Kaurava (Kuru lineage)

King Śālva

Śālva’s charioteer

astras (weapons)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma in its stark form: a warrior must meet force with force and may target enabling elements of the enemy’s combat power (such as the charioteer) to end the threat. It frames battlefield action as duty-driven and strategic rather than merely personal.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma counters (wards off) King Śālva’s incoming weapons with his own and then kills Śālva’s charioteer, effectively impairing Śālva’s ability to fight from the chariot.