Shloka 63
शल्यपरिघातः (Śalya Under Encirclement) — Mahābhārata, Śalya-parva, Adhyāya 12
दिश: संछादयामास प्रदिशश्न महारथ: । रणभूमिमें कुपित हुए महारथी शल्यने झुकी हुई गाँठवाले बाणोंसे युधिष्ठिरकी सम्पूर्ण दिशाओं और विदिशाओंको ढक दिया ।। ६२ $ ।। ततो युधिष्ठिरो राजा बाणजालेन पीडित: । बभूवाद्धुतविक्रान्तो जम्भो वृत्रहणा यथा,उस समय अद्भुत पराक्रमी राजा युधिष्ठिर उस बाणसमूहसे वैसे ही पीड़ित हो गये, जैसे इन्द्रने जम्भासुरको संतप्त किया था
diśaḥ sañchādayāmāsa pradiśaś ca mahārathaḥ | raṇabhūmau kupito mahārathī śalyaḥ śarair avanata-parvaṇā yudhiṣṭhirasya samastā diśo vidiśaś ca ācchādayāmāsa || tato yudhiṣṭhiro rājā bāṇajālena pīḍitaḥ | babhūvādbhuta-vikrānto jambho vṛtrahaṇā yathā ||
Sañjaya said: Enraged on the battlefield, the great chariot-warrior Śalya covered all the directions and intermediate quarters around Yudhiṣṭhira with a dense shower of arrows, their joints bent down as they flew. Then King Yudhiṣṭhira, pressed hard by that net of arrows, displayed astonishing valor—like Jambha when assailed by Vṛtrahan (Indra).
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even when overwhelmed by force and fear on the battlefield, a ruler committed to kṣatriya-dharma must not collapse inwardly; steadfastness and disciplined courage are portrayed as ethical strength under pressure.
Śalya, furious in combat, unleashes such a thick barrage of arrows that it seems to cover all directions around Yudhiṣṭhira. Yudhiṣṭhira is severely pressed by this ‘net of arrows’ yet responds with remarkable valor, compared to Jambha being assailed by Indra.