Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 5

शल्यवधे कौरवसेनाभङ्गः, भीमस्य गदायुद्धं, दुर्योधनस्य समाह्वानम्

Rout after Śalya’s fall; Bhīma’s mace engagement; Duryodhana’s rally

Devanagari script

श्रुत्वा च निहतं शल्यं धर्मपुत्रं च पीडितम्‌

Transliteration

śrutvā ca nihataṃ śalyaṃ dharmaputraṃ ca pīḍitam, pūrayan rathaghoṣeṇa diśaḥ sarvā mahārathaḥ |

Translation

Sañjaya said: Hearing that Śalya had been slain and that Dharmaputra (Yudhiṣṭhira) was being hard-pressed, the great chariot-warrior Arjuna—Kuntī’s son—came there, filling all directions with the deep roar of his chariot and the resounding twang of the Gāṇḍīva, intent on supporting dharma amid the crisis of war.

Word by Word

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund), परस्मैपदी (usage-neutral here)

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

• निहतम्: slain
• निहतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि-हन् (धातु) / निहत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• शल्यं: Shalya
• शल्यं: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• धर्मपुत्रं: Dharma’s son (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• धर्मपुत्रं: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मपुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• पीडितम्: afflicted, distressed
• पीडितम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पीड् (धातु) / पीडित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पूरयन्: filling
• पूरयन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूरय् (धातु, causative of पूर्/पॄ)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• रथघोषेण: with the roar/sound of the chariot
• रथघोषेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथघोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• दिशः: the directions
• दिशः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

• सर्वाः: all
• सर्वाः: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

• महारथः: the great chariot-warrior
• महारथः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Śalya
• Dharmaputra (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• Arjuna
• Kuntī
• Gāṇḍīva (bow)
• ratha (chariot)
• diśaḥ (the directions)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣatriya-duty expressed as swift protective action: when dharma (embodied by Dharmaputra/Yudhiṣṭhira) is endangered, Arjuna responds decisively. The battle-sounds (Gāṇḍīva’s twang and the chariot’s roar) function as ethical signals of resolve and reassurance to allies.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Śalya has been killed and Yudhiṣṭhira is being severely pressured. On hearing this, Arjuna rushes to the spot, announcing his arrival by the thunderous sound of his chariot and the twang of his bow, ready to support Yudhiṣṭhira and stabilize the battlefield situation.