Shloka 50

Adhyāya 86: Irāvān’s Lineage, Cavalry Clash, and the Māyā-Duel Ending in Irāvān’s Fall

Devanagari script

स्वस््रीयाभ्यां नरव्याप्रो नाकम्पत यथाचल: । प्रहसन्निव तां चापि शस्त्रवृष्टिं जघान ह,अपने भानजोंके चलाये हुए झुकी हुई गाँठवाले बहुसंख्यक बाणोंसे आच्छादित होनेपर भी नरश्रेष्ठ शल्य पर्वतकी भाँति अडिगभावसे खड़े रहे; कम्पित या विचलित नहीं हुए। उन्होंने हँसते हुए-से उस शस्त्र-वर्षाको भी नष्ट कर दिया

Transliteration

sa-srīyābhyāṁ naravyāpro nākampata yathācalaḥ | prahasann iva tāṁ cāpi śastravṛṣṭiṁ jaghāna ha ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Though covered by the countless, knot-jointed arrows shot by his sister’s sons, the foremost of men—Śalya—stood firm like a mountain, unshaken and unmoved. As if smiling, he shattered that very rain of weapons, displaying steadfast courage amid the fury of battle.

Word by Word

• {'sañjaya uvāca': 'Sañjaya said', 'sa-srīyābhyām': 'by the sons of his sister (i.e., sister’s sons

• here the attackers)', 'nara-vyāghraḥ / nara-vyāpro': 'tiger among men

• a foremost warrior', 'na akampata': 'did not tremble

• was not shaken', 'yathā acalaḥ': 'like a mountain

• immovable', 'prahāsan iva': 'as if laughing/smiling

• with effortless confidence', 'tām': 'that (weapon-shower)', 'śastra-vṛṣṭim': 'a rain/shower of weapons', 'jaghāna': 'struck down

• repelled', 'ha': 'indeed (emphatic particle)'}

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Śalya
• sister’s sons (mātula-putrāḥ; implied attackers)
• arrows (bāṇa)
• weapon-shower (śastravṛṣṭi)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights steadfastness under pressure: a warrior grounded in resolve does not waver even when overwhelmed. Ethically, it reflects the ideal of kṣatriya-dharma—courage, composure, and effective action without panic amid violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the battle scene narrated by Sañjaya, Śalya is showered with numerous arrows shot by his sister’s sons. Despite being covered by missiles, he remains unmoved like a mountain and counters so effectively that he breaks and nullifies the incoming weapon-rain.