Shloka 17
शल्यपरिघातः (Śalya Under Encirclement) — Mahābhārata, Śalya-parva, Adhyāya 12
तथा भीमगदावेगैस्ताड्यमानो मुहुर्मुहुः । शल्यो न विव्यथे राजन् दन्तिनेव महागिरि:
tathā bhīmagadāvegais tāḍyamāno muhur muhuḥ | śalyo na vivyathe rājan dantineva mahāgiriḥ ||
Dijo Sañjaya: Aunque era golpeado una y otra vez por el furioso ímpetu de la maza de Bhīma, Śalya no se inmutó, oh Rey—permaneciendo inmóvil como una gran montaña acometida por un elefante.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores steadfastness under pressure: a warrior’s discipline is shown not merely in striking, but in remaining composed and unshaken when repeatedly struck. In the ethical atmosphere of the Mahābhārata’s war, such endurance is portrayed as a hallmark of kṣatriya conduct, even amid a conflict fraught with moral complexity.
Sañjaya describes a combat moment where Bhīma repeatedly lands heavy mace-blows upon Śalya. Despite the repeated impacts, Śalya does not waver; he is compared to a great mountain that remains unmoved even when an elephant attacks it.