Shloka 51

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

Devanagari script

सहदेवस्तत: क्रुद्ध: शरमुदगृह वीर्यवान्‌ । मद्रराजमभिप्रेक्ष्य प्रेषयामास भारत,भारत! तब पराक्रमी सहदेवने कुपित होकर एक बाण हाथमें लिया और उसे मद्रराजको लक्ष्य करके चला दिया

Transliteration

sahadevas tataḥ kruddhaḥ śaram udagṛhṇād vīryavān | madrarājam abhiprekṣya preṣayāmāsa bhārata ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Then the valiant Sahadeva, angered, took up an arrow; fixing his gaze upon the king of Madra, he discharged it—thus pressing the battle forward with resolute intent amid the demands and consequences of war.

Word by Word

• सहदेवः: Sahadeva
• सहदेवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहदेव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• क्रुद्धः: angered
• क्रुद्धः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रुद्ध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शरम्: an arrow
• शरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• उदगृह्णात्: took up/raised
• उदगृह्णात्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-ग्रह्
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• वीर्यवान्: mighty/valorous
• वीर्यवान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वीर्यवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मद्रराजम्: the king of Madra (Shalya)
• मद्रराजम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मद्रराज
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अभिप्रेक्ष्य: having looked at/aiming at
• अभिप्रेक्ष्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-प्रेक्ष्
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund/त्वा-प्रत्यय via -य), Parasmaipada (usage)

• प्रेषयामास: sent/shot (it)
• प्रेषयामास: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-इष् (प्रेषयति)
• Form: Periphrastic Perfect (लिट्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• भारत: O Bharata (descendant of Bharata)
• भारत: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• भारत: O Bharata
• भारत: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Sahadeva
• Madrarāja (Śalya)
• arrow (śara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the battlefield ethic of decisive action: a warrior, stirred by anger yet bound to kṣatriya-duty, focuses on the immediate adversary and acts without hesitation—showing how intense emotions operate within the framework of dharma in war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Sahadeva becomes enraged, takes up an arrow, aims at the king of Madra (Śalya), and shoots—marking a direct offensive move against a prominent opponent.