Shloka 6

Śiva’s Battlefield Manifestation and Vyāsa’s Śatarudrīya Exposition (शिवप्रादुर्भावः शतरुद्रीयव्याख्यानम्)

Devanagari script

तत्र वीरो महेष्वास: सात्यकिर्युद्धदुर्मद: । निचकर्त शिरांस्युग्रै: शरै: संनतपर्वभि:,वहाँ महाधनुर्धर रणदुर्मद वीर सात्यकिने झुकी हुई गाँठवाले भयंकर बाणोंद्वारा बहुतेरे शत्रु-योद्धाओंके मस्तक काट डाले

Transliteration

tatra vīro maheṣvāsaḥ sātyakir yuddha-durmadaḥ | nicakarta śirāṃsy ugraiḥ śaraiḥ saṃnata-parvabhiḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: There, the heroic Sātyaki—an eminent archer, intoxicated with the fury of battle—severed the heads of many foes with fierce arrows whose joints were bent, cutting them down amid the relentless violence of war.

Word by Word

तत्रthere

वीरःhero, warrior

महेष्वासःgreat archer (lit. one having great bow)

सात्यकिःSātyaki

युद्धदुर्मदःmaddened in battle / battle-frenzied

निचकर्तcut off, severed

शिरांसिheads

उग्रैःfierce, terrible

शरैःwith arrows

संनतपर्वभिःhaving bent joints/knots (i.e., with curved nodes)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Sātyaki (Yuyudhāna)

arrows (śara)

heads (śiras)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the kṣatriya ethos in epic warfare: martial prowess and relentless action in battle. Ethically, it reflects the Mahābhārata’s stark portrayal of war—valor and duty are present, yet expressed through severe violence, reminding the reader of the grave cost of conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates that Sātyaki, a formidable archer on the Pāṇḍava side, is cutting down enemy warriors by severing their heads with fierce arrows, demonstrating his battlefield dominance at this moment.