Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 59

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

Book 9, Chapter 11

Devanagari script

ततः शल्यो रणे क्रुद्ध: पीने वक्षसि तोमरम्‌

Transliteration

tataḥ śalyo raṇe kruddhaḥ pīne vakṣasi tomaram

Translation

Sañjaya said: Then Śalya, enraged amid the battle, hurled a spear at the broad, well-built chest (of his opponent), pressing the fight forward with fierce intent.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• शल्यः: Shalya
• शल्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शल्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• क्रुद्धः: angry, enraged
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रुध्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पीने: on/at the broad (full) (part)
• पीने: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पीन
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• वक्षसि: on the chest
• वक्षसि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वक्षस्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• तोमरम्: a javelin, spear
• तोमरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तोमर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Śalya
• raṇa (battlefield)
• tomara (spear)
• vakṣas (chest)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how anger (krodha) intensifies violence in war: a warrior’s wrath quickly turns into decisive, potentially lethal action. It implicitly cautions that emotions drive ethical consequences, especially in a dharmic context where restraint is valued even amid kṣatriya duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates a battlefield moment: Śalya becomes furious and attacks by casting a tomara (spear) toward the opponent’s broad chest, marking an escalation in the duel’s intensity.