Shloka 2

Śalya-hatānantarāṇi: Madrarāja-padānugānāṃ praskandana and the Pandava counter-encirclement (शल्यहतानन्तराणि—मद्रराजपदानुगानां प्रस्कन्दनम्)

Devanagari script

ततः स शरवर्षेण पर्जन्य इव वृष्टिमान्‌ । अभ्यवर्षदमेयात्मा क्षत्रियान्‌ क्षत्रियर्षभ:,तत्पश्चात्‌ अमेय आत्मबलसे सम्पन्न क्षत्रियशिरोमणि शल्य वर्षा करनेवाले मेघके समान क्षत्रियवीरोंपर बाणोंकी वृष्टि करने लगे

Transliteration

tataḥ sa śaravarṣeṇa parjanya iva vṛṣṭimān | abhyavarṣad ameyātmā kṣatriyān kṣatriyarṣabhaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: Dann ließ jener Stier unter den Kṣatriyas, von unermesslichem Geist, einen Schauer von Pfeilen auf die Krieger niedergehen — wie eine regenbringende Wolke ihren Guss ausschüttet. Die Szene betont den wilden Schwung der Schlacht, in der kriegerische Meisterschaft und Entschlossenheit voranstürmen, während das ethische Gewicht der Gewalt im kṣatriyischen Kriegsdienst unausgesprochen mitgeführt wird.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः
• Form: Avyaya (ablatival adverb: 'from that/then')

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

• शर-वर्षेण: with a shower of arrows
• शर-वर्षेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरवर्ष
• Form: Neuter, instrumental, singular

• पर्जन्यः: a rain-cloud
• पर्जन्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्जन्य
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

• इव: like, as if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव
• Form: Avyaya (comparative particle)

• वृष्टिमान्: rain-bearing, raining
• वृष्टिमान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृष्टिमत्
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

• अभ्यवर्षत्: rained upon, showered upon
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-√वृष्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), parasmaipada, 3rd person, singular

• अमेय-आत्मा: he whose self/strength is immeasurable
• अमेय-आत्मा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमेयात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

• क्षत्रियान्: the warriors (kshatriyas)
• क्षत्रियान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय
• Form: Masculine, accusative, plural

• क्षत्रिय-ऋषभः: the bull among kshatriyas (best warrior)
• क्षत्रिय-ऋषभः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रियर्षभ
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• an unnamed foremost kshatriya (kṣatriyarṣabhaḥ)
• kṣatriyas (warriors)
• arrows (śara)
• rain-cloud (parjanya)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ideal of kṣatriya prowess—unyielding courage and effectiveness in battle—while implicitly situating such violence within the framework of kṣatriya-dharma (the warrior’s duty), where action is driven by role-bound obligation rather than personal whim.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya describes a leading warrior unleashing an intense barrage of arrows on opposing kṣatriyas, compared to a rain-cloud pouring down rain—an image emphasizing overwhelming force and the escalating ferocity of the fight.