Shloka 52

शल्यपरिघातः (Śalya Under Encirclement) — Mahābhārata, Śalya-parva, Adhyāya 12

Devanagari script

चन्द्रसेनं च सप्तत्या सूतं च नवभि: शरै:

Transliteration

candrasenaṃ ca saptatyā sūtaṃ ca navabhiḥ śaraiḥ

Translation

Sanjaya said: He struck Candrasena with seventy arrows, and the charioteer with nine.

Word by Word

• चन्द्रसेनम्: Chandrasena (proper name), as object
• चन्द्रसेनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्रसेन
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• सप्तत्या: with seventy (arrows)
• सप्तत्या: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्तति
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• सूतम्: the charioteer
• सूतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• नवभिः: with nine
• नवभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नव
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• शरैः: with arrows
• शरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Candrasena
• Sūta (charioteer)
• Śara (arrows)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the uncompromising intensity of war: skill and resolve are shown through precise, overwhelming strikes, and even non-royal battlefield roles (like the charioteer) become targets—highlighting how conflict erodes ordinary ethical boundaries while still operating within the harsh logic of martial duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports a combat moment in which a warrior (implied from context) showers Candrasena with seventy arrows and also wounds the charioteer with nine arrows, indicating a tactical attempt to disable both the fighter and the chariot’s operation.