Shloka 8

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

Devanagari script

तौ वृषाविव नर्दन्तौ मण्डलानि विचेरतु: । आवर्तितौ गदाहस्तौ मद्रराजवृकोदरौ,शल्य और भीमसेन दोनों वीर हाथमें गदा लिये साँड़ोंकी तरह गर्जते हुए चक्कर लगाने और पैंतरे देने लगे

Transliteration

tau vṛṣāv iva nardantau maṇḍalāni viceratuḥ | āvartitau gadāhastau madrarājavṛkodarau |

Translation

Sañjaya said: Shalya, the king of Madra, and Bhīmasena (Vṛkodara), both gripping their maces, roared like two bulls and began to circle in measured rounds, wheeling and feinting for advantage.

Word by Word

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• वृषौ: two bulls
• वृषौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• इव: like/as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• नर्दन्तौ: roaring
• नर्दन्तौ: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: नर्द्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual, शतृ (present active participle)

• मण्डलानि: circles/rounds
• मण्डलानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मण्डल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• विचेरतुः: they moved about/went around
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + चर्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), Third, Dual, Parasmaipada

• आवर्तितौ: whirling/turned about
• आवर्तितौ: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + वृत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual, क्त (past passive participle)

• गदाहस्तौ: having maces in hand
• गदाहस्तौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गदा + हस्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• मद्रराजवृकोदरौ: the king of Madra (Shalya) and Vrikodara (Bhima)
• मद्रराजवृकोदरौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मद्रराज + वृकोदर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Shalya (Madra-rāja)
• Bhīmasena (Vṛkodara)
• gadā (mace)
• Madra

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣatriya discipline in combat: even in lethal conflict, warriors follow a recognizable code—circling, measuring distance, and seeking a fair opening—showing that power is ideally governed by form, restraint, and tactical judgment.

What is happening in the narrative?

Shalya (king of Madra) and Bhīmasena, each holding a mace, roar like bulls and begin circling one another, turning and feinting as they prepare to strike in a focused one-on-one duel.