Shloka 363

शल्यपरिघातः (Śalya Under Encirclement) — Mahābhārata, Śalya-parva, Adhyāya 12

Devanagari script

अयोधयन्त विजयं द्रोणपुत्रपुरस्कृता: । राजन्‌! आपके पुत्रसे प्रेरित हो तीन हजार योद्धा अश्वत्थामाको अगुआ बनाकर अर्जुनके साथ युद्ध करने लगे

Transliteration

ayodhayanta vijayaṁ droṇaputra-puraskṛtāḥ | rājan tava putreṇa preritāḥ trayaḥ-sahasrā yodhāḥ aśvatthāmānam agrataḥ kṛtvā arjunena saha yuddham akurvan |

Translation

Sanjaya said: O King, urged on by your son, three thousand warriors—marching with Drona’s son at their head—engaged in battle with Arjuna, striving to win victory. The scene underscores how personal ambition and partisan incitement drive men into violence, even as the burden of responsibility rests upon those who provoke and lead.

Word by Word

• अयोधयन्त: they fought / they caused to fight
• Type: Verb
• Root: युध्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• विजयम्: victory
• विजयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विजय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• द्रोणपुत्रपुरस्कृताः: having Drona's son (Aśvatthāman) in front / led by Drona's son
• द्रोणपुत्रपुरस्कृताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्रोणपुत्रपुरस्कृत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Duryodhana
• Aśvatthāmā
• Droṇa
• Arjuna

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights ethical responsibility in war: those who incite and command others toward violence bear moral weight for the conflict, and leadership amplifies the consequences of ambition and anger.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya reports to King Dhritarashtra that, at Duryodhana’s urging, three thousand warriors advanced with Ashvatthama (Drona’s son) in the lead and fought against Arjuna, seeking victory.