Shloka 12

Śalya–Bhīma Gadā-saṃnipāta and Śalya’s Bāṇa-jāla against Yudhiṣṭhira

Book 9, Chapter 11

Devanagari script

पाण्डवा अपि भूपाल समरे जितकाशिन: । मद्रराजं समासाद्य बिभिदुर्निशितै: शरै:,भूपाल! समरमें विजयसे सुशोभित होनेवाले पाण्डव भी मद्रराज शल्यके निकट जाकर उन्हें अपने पैने बाणोंसे बींधने लगे

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | pāṇḍavā api bhūpāla samare jitakāśinaḥ | madrarājaṃ samāsādya bibhidur niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: O king, the Pāṇḍavas too—radiant with the confidence of victory in battle—closed in upon Śalya, the king of Madra, and began to pierce him with their sharp arrows.

Word by Word

पाण्डवाःthe Pandavas

अपिalso/even

भूपालO king (protector of the earth)

समरेin battle

जितकाशिनःhaving won glory; victorious (lit. whose fame is won)

मद्रराजम्the king of Madra (Shalya)

समासाद्यhaving approached/reached

बिभिदुःthey pierced/split

निशितैःwith sharp

शरैःwith arrows

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Dhṛtarāṣṭra (addressed as bhūpāla)

Pāṇḍavas

Śalya

Madra (kingdom of Madra)

arrows (śara)

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 inexorable nature of kṣatriya-duty in war: once battle is joined, even eminent figures like Śalya are treated as combatants to be overcome. It reflects how the pursuit of victory and adherence to martial obligation can eclipse personal ties and softenings of sentiment.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the Pāṇḍavas, emboldened and shining with the prospect of victory, advance toward Śalya (the Madra king) and wound him with sharp arrows, intensifying the combat around him.