Shloka 17

शल्यस्य पाण्डवसेनापीडनम् — Śalya’s Assault on the Pāṇḍava Host

with Omens and Bhīma’s Counter

Devanagari script

पद्भ्यामापततस्तस्य शरवृष्टिं समासृजत्‌

Transliteration

padbhyām āpatatas tasya śaravṛṣṭiṃ samāsṛjat

Translation

Sañjaya dit : S’élançant à pied, il déchaîna sur cet adversaire une pluie de flèches—image d’une résolution guerrière sans relâche, où courage et adresse sont voués à une guerre sombre, commandée par le devoir.

Word by Word

• पद्भ्याम्: with (his) two feet
• पद्भ्याम्: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Dual

• आपततः: of (him) rushing/falling upon
• आपततः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + पत्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular, Present active participle (शतृ)

• तस्य: of him / his
• तस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• शरवृष्टिम्: a shower of arrows
• शरवृष्टिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरवृष्टि
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• समासृजत्: he discharged / let loose
• समासृजत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + सृज्
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• arrows (śara)
• shower/volley of arrows (śaravṛṣṭi)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the warrior ethic (kṣatriya-dharma): in the midst of a righteous yet tragic conflict, resolve and disciplined skill are expected, even when the act itself is violent.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports a battlefield moment: a fighter advances on foot and releases a dense volley—described as an ‘arrow-rain’—against his opponent.