Shloka 476

शल्यपरिघातः (Śalya Under Encirclement) — Mahābhārata, Śalya-parva, Adhyāya 12

Devanagari script

विव्याध निशितैर्बाणै्न्तुकामो महारथम्‌ | महाराज! तदनन्तर राजा शल्यने महारथी धर्मपुत्र राजा युधिष्ठिरको मार डालनेकी इच्छासे पैने बाणोंद्वारा बींध डाला

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | vivyādha niśitair bāṇair hantukāmo mahāratham | mahārāja! tad-anantaraṁ rājā śalyas tu mahārathī dharmaputraṁ rājānaṁ yudhiṣṭhiraṁ mārayituṁ icchayā painair bāṇair viddhvā ||

Translation

Dijo Sañjaya: ¡Oh gran rey! Después, Śalya, el poderoso guerrero de carro, deseoso de dar muerte al gran héroe—el rey Yudhiṣṭhira, hijo de Dharma—lo atravesó con flechas agudas y aceradas.

Word by Word

• विव्याध: pierced
• विव्याध: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्यध् (विध्/व्यध्)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• निशितैः: with sharp
• निशितैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निशित
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• बाणैः: arrows
• बाणैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अन्तुकामः: desiring to kill (end)
• अन्तुकामः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्तुकाम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महारथम्: the great chariot-warrior
• महारथम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Śalya
• Yudhiṣṭhira (Dharmaputra)
• arrows (bāṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical strain of war: even a king famed for dharma (Yudhiṣṭhira) is subjected to lethal aggression, showing how battlefield duty (kṣatriya-dharma) can collide with ideals of restraint and righteousness.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Śalya, acting with the intent to kill, shoots and pierces King Yudhiṣṭhira with sharp arrows during the Kurukṣetra battle.