Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 16
अध्याय २२ — अमर्याद-युद्धवर्णन
Unrestrained Battle Description and Śakuni’s Rear Assault
Devanagari script
लाघवं सौष्ठवं चापि वीर्य चापि महात्मन:
Transliteration
lāghavaṁ sauṣṭhavaṁ cāpi vīryaṁ cāpi mahātmanaḥ
Translation
Sañjaya said: “(He displayed) agility, refined excellence, and also the heroic strength of that great-souled one.”
Word by Word
लाघवम्lightness, agility
लाघवम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootलाघव
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
सौष्ठवम्excellence, skill, perfection
सौष्ठवम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootसौष्ठव
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
अपिalso, even
अपि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि
वीर्यम्valor, strength, prowess
वीर्यम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootवीर्य
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
अपिalso, even
अपि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि
महात्मनःof the great-souled one
महात्मनः:
TypeNoun
Rootमहात्मन्
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
Speaker
संजय उवाच
Characters & Entities
S
SañjayaM
mahātmā (unnamed great-souled hero)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights ideal warrior qualities—agility (lāghava), refined skill (sauṣṭhava), and valor (vīrya)—suggesting that true excellence in battle is not mere force but disciplined, well-directed capability.
Sañjaya is reporting to Dhṛtarāṣṭra, praising the performance of a great warrior by enumerating the qualities visible in his actions—swift movement, polished mastery, and heroic strength—within the ongoing battle narrative of the Śalya Parva.