Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 423

शल्यस्य पाण्डवसेनापीडनम् — Śalya’s Assault on the Pāṇḍava Host

with Omens and Bhīma’s Counter

Devanagari script

त्रिभिवव सारथिं हत्वा कर्णपुत्रो ननाद ह । उसने चार बाणोंसे उनके चारों घोड़ोंको मार डाला और पाँचसे उनकी ध्वजा काटकर तीनसे सारथिके भी प्राण ले लिये। इसके बाद कर्णपुत्र जोर-जोरसे सिंहनाद करने लगा

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | tribhir eva sārathiṃ hatvā karṇaputro nanāda ha |

Translation

Sanjaya sprach: Nachdem er den Wagenlenker mit drei Pfeilen getötet hatte, stieß Karṇas Sohn ein lautes Brüllen aus. In der Glut der Schlacht streckte er mit vier Pfeilen die vier Pferde nieder, schnitt mit fünf das Banner ab und nahm mit weiteren drei auch dem Lenker das Leben. Danach ließ Karṇas Sohn einen löwengleichen Siegesruf erschallen.

Word by Word

• त्रिभिः: with three (arrows)
• त्रिभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• सारथिम्: the charioteer
• सारथिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सारथि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• हत्वा: having slain
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), Non-finite

• कर्णपुत्रः: Karna's son
• कर्णपुत्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्णपुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ननाद: roared/sounded
• Type: Verb
• Root: नद्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• ह: indeed (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• संजय (Sanjaya)
• कर्णपुत्र (Karna’s son, Vṛṣasena)
• सारथि (charioteer)
• रथ (chariot, implied)
• अश्व (horses, from the accompanying sense)
• ध्वजा (banner/standard, from the accompanying sense)
• बाण (arrows, from the accompanying sense)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the battlefield ideal of swift martial efficiency and public assertion of valor, while implicitly exposing the ethical tension of war: victory is achieved through the taking of lives (even non-combatant roles like a charioteer) and the destruction of symbols of honor (banner), reminding readers that dharma in war is complex and morally costly.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya reports that Karna’s son kills the charioteer with three arrows and then roars loudly in triumph; the accompanying narrative sense adds that he also brings down the horses and cuts the banner, demonstrating dominance over the opponent’s chariot and proclaiming his prowess.