Shloka 286

अध्याय २२ — अमर्याद-युद्धवर्णन

Unrestrained Battle Description and Śakuni’s Rear Assault

Devanagari script

अभ्यद्रवदमेयात्मा शरवर्षै: समन्तत: । दूसरी ओर अमेय आत्मबलसे सम्पन्न उलूकने महाधनुर्धर रणदुर्मद नकुलपर चारों ओरसे बाणोंकी वर्षा करते हुए धावा किया

Transliteration

abhyadravad ameyātmā śaravarṣaiḥ samantataḥ |

Translation

Sañjaya said: Endowed with immeasurable spirit and strength, Ulūka charged forward, showering arrows on all sides—an aggressive surge meant to overwhelm the foe by sheer volume of missiles and battlefield audacity.

Word by Word

• अभ्यद्रवत्: rushed/charged towards
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-√द्रु (द्रवति)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अमेयात्मा: one whose self is immeasurable (mighty-souled)
• अमेयात्मा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमेय-आत्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शरवर्षैः: with showers of arrows
• शरवर्षैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर-वर्ष
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• समन्ततः: on all sides, all around
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्ततः

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Ulūka
• arrows (śara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a battlefield ethic where resolve and prowess are expressed through direct engagement; it also implicitly warns that sheer force and aggressive tactics can dominate the moment, even when moral outcomes remain uncertain in the larger dharmic arc of the war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates Ulūka’s sudden advance: he charges and releases a surrounding rain of arrows, attempting to pressure and disorient opponents by attacking from all directions.