Shloka 41

Devanagari script

भीष्मकी रक्षाके लिये पराक्रम करनेवाले मद्रराज शल्यने भी युद्धमें कुपित हो महारथी धर्मराज युधिष्ठिरको पीड़ित किया

Transliteration

bhīṣmasya rakṣāyai parākramaṃ kurvan mādrarājaḥ śalyaḥ saṃgrāme kupito mahārathī dharmarājaṃ yudhiṣṭhiraṃ pīḍitavān

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: Um Bhīṣma zu schützen und seine Tapferkeit zu zeigen, geriet Śalya, der König von Madra, im Kampf in Zorn und bedrängte Yudhiṣṭhira, den gerechten König und großen Wagenkrieger, schwer.

Word by Word

भीष्मस्यof Bhishma

रक्षायैfor protection

पराक्रमम्valor, prowess

कुर्वाणःdoing, performing

मद्रराजःthe king of Madra

शल्यःShalya

अपिalso, indeed

युद्धेin battle

कुपितःangered

महारथीgreat chariot-warrior

धर्मराजम्Dharmaraja (Yudhishthira)

युधिष्ठिरम्Yudhishthira

पीडितवान्tormented, afflicted

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Bhīṣma

Śalya

Madra

Yudhiṣṭhira (Dharmarāja)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical tension of kṣatriya-dharma: protecting one’s commander (Bhīṣma) and fulfilling martial duty can intensify anger and lead to harsh violence even against a righteous opponent like Yudhiṣṭhira. It invites reflection on how duty, loyalty, and wrath interact in war.

What is happening in the narrative?

During the Kurukṣetra battle, Śalya—king of Madra—fights fiercely to safeguard Bhīṣma. In his anger, he presses and troubles Yudhiṣṭhira in combat, showing the escalation of hostilities around Bhīṣma’s defense.