Shloka 42

Ādi Parva, Adhyāya 103 — Dhṛtarāṣṭra–Gāndhārī Vivāha: Proposal, Consent, and the Vow

Devanagari script

ततो भीष्म शान्तनवं शरै: शतसहस््रश: । शाल्वराजो नरश्रेष्ठ; समवाकिरदाशुगै:,तदनन्तर मनुष्योंमें श्रेष्ठ राजा शाल्व शान्तनुनन्दन भीष्मपर सैकड़ों और हजारों शीघ्रगामी बाणोंकी बौछार करने लगा

Transliteration

tato bhīṣmaṃ śāntanavaṃ śaraiḥ śata-sahasraśaḥ | śālvarājo naraśreṣṭhaḥ samavākirad āśugaiḥ ||

Translation

Alors le roi Śālva, le premier parmi les hommes, accabla Bhīṣma—fils de Śāntanu—d’une pluie de flèches rapides, par centaines et par milliers, le couvrant d’une volée implacable tandis que la bataille se poursuivait.

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereafter

भीष्मम्Bhishma (as object)

शान्तनवम्son of Shantanu

शरैःwith arrows

शतसहस्रशःby hundreds and thousands; in hundreds of thousands

शाल्वराजःKing of Shalva

नरश्रेष्ठःbest of men

समवाकिरत्showered, covered (with a rain of arrows)

आशुगैःswift (ones), fast-moving

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Bhīṣma

Śāntanu

Śālva

arrows (śara)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the kṣatriya-world ethic of steadfastness under assault: greatness is shown not only by striking but by enduring overwhelming force without losing resolve, a recurring Mahābhārata measure of martial and moral stamina.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that King Śālva launches a massive, rapid barrage of arrows at Bhīṣma (Śāntanu’s son), intensifying the combat by attempting to overwhelm him through sheer volume and speed of missiles.