Shloka 56

Devanagari script

मद्रराजं महेष्वासं परिवार्य समन्ततः । स्थिता राजन्‌ महासेना योद्धुकामा समन्ततः,नरेश्वरर आपकी विशाल सेना महाथधनुर्थर मद्रराज शल्यको चारों ओरसे घेरकर शत्रुओंके साथ युद्धके लिये खड़ी हो गयी

Transliteration

madrarājaṁ maheṣvāsaṁ parivārya samantataḥ | sthitā rājan mahāsenā yoddhukāmā samantataḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: O King, your vast army, eager to fight, stood all around—having completely surrounded Śalya, the Madra king, that great archer—ready for battle on every side.

Word by Word

• मद्रराजम्: the king of Madra (Shalya)
• मद्रराजम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मद्रराज
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• महेष्वासम्: great bowman
• महेष्वासम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महेष्वास
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• परिवार्य: having surrounded
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि√वृ (वृणोति/वर्तते)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Active

• समन्ततः: on all sides
• समन्ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्ततः

• स्थिता: stood / was stationed
• स्थिता: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्था
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• महासेना: the great army
• महासेना: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महासेना
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• योद्धुकामा: desirous of fighting
• योद्धुकामा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: योद्धुकाम
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• समन्ततः: on all sides
• समन्ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्ततः

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• संजय (Sañjaya)
• राजन् / धृतराष्ट्र (Dhṛtarāṣṭra)
• मद्रराज शल्य (Śalya, king of Madra)
• महासेना (the great army)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the harsh momentum of war and the kṣatriya world where martial prowess and strategic positioning dominate; even eminent warriors become targets of collective pressure, reminding readers of the impersonal, escalating nature of conflict and the burdens of royal decisions.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the king’s large army has taken positions all around Śalya, the Madra king and famed archer, encircling him and standing ready to engage in battle from every side.