Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 35

Book 9 (Śalya-parva), Adhyāya 13 — Arjuna’s Arrow-storm and the Drauṇi Confrontation

Devanagari script

तस्य धर्मसुतो राजन क्षुरप्रेण महाहवे | चक्ररक्ष॑ं जघानाशु मद्रराजस्य पार्थिव:,राजन! उन महासमरमें धर्मपुत्र राजा युधिष्ठिरने एक क्षुरप्रद्वारा मद्रराज शल्यके चक्ररक्षकको शीघ्र ही मार डाला

Transliteration

tasya dharmasuto rājan kṣurapreṇa mahāhave | cakrarakṣaṃ jaghānāśu madrarājasya pārthivaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya dijo: Oh Rey, en aquella gran batalla, Dharmasuta Yudhiṣṭhira abatió con presteza, con una flecha de filo de navaja, al guardián de la rueda del carro de Śalya, rey de Madra.

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him/that (king)
• तस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• धर्मसुतः: Dharma's son (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• धर्मसुतः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मसुत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• राजन्: O king
• राजन्: Sambodhana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• क्षुरप्रेण: with a razor-edged (arrow/weapon)
• क्षुरप्रेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षुरप्र
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• महाहवे: in the great battle
• महाहवे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाहव
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• चक्ररक्षम्: the wheel-guard (chariot-guard)
• चक्ररक्षम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्ररक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• जघान: slew/struck down
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular

• आशु: quickly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आशु

• मद्रराजस्य: of the king of Madra (Śalya)
• मद्रराजस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: मद्रराज
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• पार्थिवः: the king (earth-lord)
• पार्थिवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Yudhiṣṭhira (Dharmasuta)
• Śalya (king of Madra)
• kṣurapra (razor-edged arrow)
• cakrarakṣa (wheel-guard/chariot defender)
• chariot wheel (cakra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even a ruler devoted to dharma must sometimes employ swift, forceful action when fulfilling kṣatriya-duty in a just war; ethical intent and responsibility remain central even amid violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Yudhiṣṭhira, using a razor-edged arrow, quickly kills Śalya’s cakrarakṣa—the chariot’s wheel-guard—thereby weakening Śalya’s chariot defense in the ongoing battle.