Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

वृतं भूतगणैघोरि: क्रव्यादैश्व समन्‍्ततः । यथा धन लिप्समानैर्भुत्यै्नुपतिसत्तमम्‌

Transliteration

vṛtaṃ bhūtagaṇair ghoraiḥ kravyādaiś ca samantataḥ | yathā dhana-lipsamānair bhṛtyair nṛpati-sattamam ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: He was surrounded on every side by dreadful hosts of spirits and flesh-eating beings—just as servants greedy for wealth crowd around an excellent king.

Word by Word

• वृतम्: surrounded/encircled
• वृतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृत (√वृ, वरणे) / वृ (कृदन्त-भूतकर्मणि)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• भूतगणैः: by hosts of spirits
• भूतगणैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूतगण
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• घोरैः: terrible
• घोरैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• क्रव्यादैः: by flesh-eaters
• क्रव्यादैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रव्याद
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

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

• समन्ततः: on all sides
• समन्ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्ततः

• यथा: just as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• धनम्: wealth
• धनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• लिप्समानैः: by those desiring (to obtain)
• लिप्समानैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लिप्समान (√लिप्स्/√लभ् इच्छायाम्; desiderative sense 'to desire to obtain')
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• भृत्यैः: by servants
• भृत्यैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृत्य
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• उपतिसत्तमम्: the best of kings/lords
• उपतिसत्तमम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपति-सत्तम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• bhūta-gaṇa (hosts of spirits)
• kravyāda (flesh-eaters/carrion-eaters)
• nṛpati-sattama (an excellent king, as a simile)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse uses a sharp simile to expose how greed and predatory impulses cluster around perceived gain—whether a prosperous king or a vulnerable figure amid war—highlighting the ethical danger of desire that feeds on others.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a grim battlefield scene in which fearsome spirits and flesh-eating beings encircle someone on all sides, conveying an ominous atmosphere and the nearness of death and devastation.