Mahabharata 9.17.63 — Shalya Parva, Adhyaya 17, Shloka 63

Śalya-hatānantarāṇi: Madrarāja-padānugānāṃ praskandana and the Pandava counter-encirclement (शल्यहतानन्तराणि—मद्रराजपदानुगानां प्रस्कन्दनम्)

Devanagari script

त॑ विव्याधाशुगै: षड्भिर्धर्मराजस्त्वरन्निव

Transliteration

tān vivyādhāśugaiḥ ṣaḍbhir dharmarājas tvarann iva

Translation

Sañjaya dit : Alors Dharmarāja (Yudhiṣṭhira), comme pressé par l’urgence, les transperça de six flèches rapides — un geste de force disciplinée au cœur de l’épreuve morale de la guerre.

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विव्याध: pierced, struck
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्यध्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• आशुगैः: with swift arrows
• आशुगैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आशुग
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• षड्भिः: with six
• षड्भिः: Karana
• Type: Numeral
• Root: षट्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• धर्मराजः: Dharmaraja (Yudhishthira)
• धर्मराजः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मराज
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• त्वरन्: hastening
• त्वरन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्वर्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इव: as if, like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Dharmaraja (Yudhishthira)
• arrows

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even Dharmarāja—renowned for righteousness—must employ decisive force when duty demands it; the verse highlights disciplined action in war without losing sight of dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya reports that Yudhiṣṭhira quickly shoots and pierces the opposing targets with six fast arrows, indicating a moment of swift martial response in the Shalya Parva battle sequence.