Shloka 27

Arjuna’s Advance toward Bhīṣma; The Gāṇḍīva’s Signal and the Armies’ Convergence (भीष्माभिमुखगमनम् — गाण्डीवनिर्घोष-ध्वजवर्णनम्)

Devanagari script

शल्यं च पज्चविंशत्या शरैरविव्याध पाण्डव: । रुक्मपुड्खैर्महेष्वास: स विद्धो व्यपयाद्‌ रणात्‌,फिर महाथनुर्धर पाण्डुपुत्र भीमने सुवर्णमय पंखसे युक्त पचीस बाणोंद्वारा राजा शल्यको बींध दिया। उन बाणोंसे घायल होकर वे रणभूमिसे भाग गये

Transliteration

śalyaṃ ca pañcaviṃśatyā śarair avivyādha pāṇḍavaḥ | rukmapuṅkhair maheṣvāsaḥ sa viddho vyapayād raṇāt ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: The Pāṇḍava warrior pierced King Śalya with twenty-five arrows, their shafts fitted with golden feathers. Struck and wounded, Śalya withdrew from the battlefield—showing how, in war, even a mighty archer may be forced to retreat when overpowered by superior force.

Word by Word

शल्यम्Shalya

चand

पञ्चविंशत्याwith twenty-five

शरैःarrows

अविव्याधpierced

पाण्डवःthe Pandava (Bhima)

रुक्मपुङ्खैःwith golden-feathered (arrows)

महेष्वासःthe great archer

सःhe

विद्धःwounded, pierced

व्यपयात्withdrew, went away

रणात्from the battle

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Śalya

Pāṇḍava

arrows (śara)

battlefield (raṇa)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Geographic Context

Sandhi Notes