Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 26

शल्यस्य सेनापत्याभ्युपगमः | Śalya’s Acceptance of Command

Devanagari script

सुनीतमनुपश्यामि सुयुद्धेन परंतप

Transliteration

sunītam anupaśyāmi suyuddhena paraṃtapa

Translation

Sañjaya said: “I see that this course is well-considered—and that it is to be carried out through a noble battle, O scorcher of foes.”

Word by Word

• सुनीतम्: good policy / good conduct / what is well-guided
• सुनीतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुनीत
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अनुपश्यामि: I observe / I perceive
• अनुपश्यामि: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु√पश्
• Form: Present, First, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सुयुद्धेन: by good fighting / by a good battle
• सुयुद्धेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुयुद्ध
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• परंतप: O scorcher of foes
• Type: Noun
• Root: परंतप
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• paraṃtapa (addressee, epithet)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames warfare under a moral lens: action should be “sunīta” (well-directed) and pursued as “suyuddha” (proper, disciplined fighting), implying that even in conflict one must adhere to right conduct and considered judgment.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya, narrating events to the king, expresses his assessment that the chosen course appears sound and that the ensuing engagement is to be undertaken as a proper battle, addressing the listener with the epithet “paraṃtapa.”