Shloka 6

Devanagari script

शल्यश्न समरे जिष्णुं कृपश्च रथिनां वर: । विव्यधाते महाराज बहुधा मर्मभेदिभि:,एकैकं त्रिभिरानर्च्छत्‌ कड़ुकबर्हिणवाजितै: । उसके बाद सुशर्मा और कृपाचार्यको भी तीन-तीन बाणोंसे बींध डाला। राजेन्द्र! फिर समरांगणमें प्राग्ज्योतिषनरेश भगदत्त, सिन्धुराज जयद्रथ, चित्रसेन, विकर्ण, कृतवर्मा, दुर्मीषण तथा महारथी विन्द और अनुविन्द--इनमैंसे प्रत्येकको गीधकी पाँखसे युक्त तीन- तीन बाणोंद्वारा विशेष पीड़ा दी महाराज! फिर रथियोंमें श्रेष्ठ कृपाचार्य तथा शल्यने भी समरांगणमें मर्मस्थलको विदीर्ण करनेवाले बाणोंद्वारा अर्जुनको बारंबार घायल किया

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | śalyaś ca samare jiṣṇuṃ kṛpaś ca rathināṃ varaḥ | vivyadhāte mahārāja bahudhā marmabhedibhiḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: O great king, on the battlefield Śalya and Kṛpa—the foremost among chariot-warriors—repeatedly pierced Arjuna (Jiṣṇu) in many ways with vital-point-splitting arrows.

Word by Word

शल्यःShalya

चand

समरेin battle

जिष्णुम्Arjuna (the victorious one)

कृपःKripa

चand

रथिनाम्of chariot-warriors

वरःthe best

विव्यधातेthey pierced

महाराजO great king

बहुधाmany times / in many ways

मर्मभेदिभिःwith vital-part-piercing (arrows)

एकैकम्each one (individually)

त्रिभिःwith three

आनर्च्छत्he struck / reached (i.e., hit)

कडुकबर्हिणवाजितैःwith arrows furnished with (vulture/peacock-like) feathers (as wings)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sanjaya

Dhritarashtra

Shalya

Kripa (Kripacharya)

Arjuna (Jishnu)

arrows

battlefield

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethic of kṣatriya-dharma in war: combat is fierce and painful, yet warriors are expected to remain steadfast, disciplined, and skilled. Endurance under attack and adherence to one’s duty are implied virtues, even when the conflict is morally complex.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Śalya and Kṛpa, eminent chariot-warriors on the Kaurava side, repeatedly strike Arjuna with arrows aimed at vital points, intensifying the pressure on him in the ongoing Kurukṣetra battle.