Shloka 326

Devanagari script

सात्यकेस्तु तथैवासौ चर्म चिच्छेद पार्थिव: । फिर वे एक-दूसरेके वधके लिये भारी यत्न करने लगे। तदनन्तर सात्यकिने विन्दकी ढालके दो टुकड़े कर दिये। इसी प्रकार राजकुमार विन्दने भी सात्यकिकी ढाल टूक-टूक कर दी

Transliteration

sātyakestu tathaivāsau carma ciccheda pārthivaḥ |

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: Auf gleiche Weise durchtrennte jener König Sātyakis ledernen Schild. Dann, von dem düsteren Entschluss getrieben, einander zu töten, rangen sie mit größter Anstrengung. Darauf spaltete Sātyaki Vindas Schild in zwei Teile; ebenso zerschlug Prinz Vinda Sātyakis Schild in lauter Splitter.

Word by Word

सात्यकेःof Sātyaki

तुbut/indeed

तथाthus/in the same way

एवjust/indeed

असौhe (that one)

चर्मshield/leather (shield)

चिच्छेदcut/broke

पार्थिवःthe king/prince

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Sātyaki

Vinda

shield (carma/carmaṇ)

king (pārthiva)

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 passage highlights the kṣatriya ethos in the Mahābhārata: once battle is joined, warriors pursue their pledged duty with steadfast resolve, even as violence escalates. Ethically, it underscores how commitment, pride, and loyalty can intensify conflict, pressing individuals deeper into the consequences of war within a broader dharmic breakdown.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a close combat exchange between Sātyaki and Vinda (a royal opponent). The king cuts Sātyaki’s leather shield; then both fighters exert themselves to kill each other. Sātyaki splits Vinda’s shield into two, and Vinda in turn breaks Sātyaki’s shield into pieces.