Mahabharata 9.11.34 — Shalya Parva, Adhyaya 11, Shloka 34

Śalya–Bhīma Gadā-saṃnipāta and Śalya’s Bāṇa-jāla against Yudhiṣṭhira

Book 9, Chapter 11

Devanagari script

अभ्यवर्षन्‌ महाराज मेघा इव महीधरम्‌ | ततो दृष्ट्वा वार्यमाणं शल्यं पार्थ: समनन्‍्ततः

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

abhyavarṣan mahārāja meghā iva mahīdharam |

tato dṛṣṭvā vāryamāṇaṃ śalyaṃ pārthaḥ samanantataḥ |

Translation

Sañjaya dit : «Ô roi, ils firent pleuvoir sur Śalya des flèches comme les nuées versent la pluie sur une montagne. Alors Pārtha, voyant Śalya contenu et cerné de toutes parts, pressa l’assaut de tous côtés.»

Word by Word

• अभ्यवर्षन्: they rained upon
• अभ्यवर्षन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि√वृष्
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• महाराज: O great king
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• मेघाः: clouds
• मेघाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेघ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• इव: like/as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• महीधरम्: mountain (earth-holder)
• महीधरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महीधर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• ततः: then/thereupon
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund)

• वार्यमाणम्: being restrained/checked
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वारय्
• Form: शानच् (present passive participle), Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• शल्यं: Shalya
• शल्यं: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शल्य
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पार्थः: Partha (Arjuna)
• पार्थः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• समन्ततः: on all sides
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्ततः

• महाराज: O great king
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Śalya
• Pārtha (Arjuna)
• meghāḥ (clouds)
• mahīdhara (mountain)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the relentless momentum of battle and the kṣatriya ethos of pressing advantage: when an opponent is checked and surrounded, the attacker intensifies effort. Ethically, it reflects the Mahābhārata’s sober portrayal of war—skill and resolve operate within a tragic, escalating conflict rather than a celebratory one.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Śalya is being overwhelmed by a dense ‘rain’ of arrows, likened to clouds pouring on a mountain. Seeing Śalya impeded and attacked from all sides, Arjuna (Pārtha) continues to assail him from every direction, tightening the pressure in the ongoing battle.