Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 86

Chapter 23: Śakuni Reports, Kaurava Advance, and Arjuna’s Penetration of the Host

Devanagari script

ततो<भ्यधावंस्त्वरिता: पाण्डवा जयगृद्धिनः । पदातयश्न नागाश्न सादिनश्लोद्यतायुधा:

Transliteration

tato 'bhyadhāvaṁs tvaritāḥ pāṇḍavā jayagṛddhinaḥ | padātayaś ca nāgāś ca sādinaś codyatāyudhāḥ ||

Translation

Then the Pāṇḍavas, swift to act and hungry for victory, rushed forward. Their foot-soldiers, elephant-warriors, and horsemen—all with weapons raised—advanced together, pressing the attack in a coordinated surge, driven by the duty of the battlefield and the pursuit of triumph.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात् अव्यय)

• अभ्यधावन्: ran towards, charged at
• Type: Verb
• Root: धाव्
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, plural, Parasmaipada

• त्वरिताः: hastened, swift
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्वरित (कृदन्त; त्वर् + क्त)
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• पाण्डवाः: the Pandavas
• पाण्डवाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• जयगृद्धिनः: eager for victory
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जयगृद्धि (जय + गृद्धि)
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• पदातयः: foot-soldiers
• पदातयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पदाति
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• नागाः: elephants (elephant-troops)
• नागाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• सादिनः: horsemen, riders
• सादिनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सादिन्
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• उद्यतायुधाः: with weapons raised
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्यतायुध (उद्यत + आयुध)
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Pāṇḍavas
• infantry (padātayaḥ)
• war-elephants (nāgāḥ)
• cavalry/horsemen (sādinaḥ)
• weapons (āyudhāni)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the kṣatriya battlefield ethic: decisive, unified action in pursuit of a just objective as understood by the warriors—victory sought through readiness, courage, and coordinated effort across all divisions of the army.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that the Pāṇḍavas suddenly charge forward. Infantry, elephant corps, and cavalry advance with raised weapons, indicating a full-force assault rather than a limited skirmish.