Shloka 766

Śalya-hatānantarāṇi: Madrarāja-padānugānāṃ praskandana and the Pandava counter-encirclement (शल्यहतानन्तराणि—मद्रराजपदानुगानां प्रस्कन्दनम्)

Devanagari script

हार्दिक्यं दशभिर्बाणै: प्रत्यविध्यत्‌ स्तनान्तरे । उस श्रेष्ठ धनुषको लेकर सम्पूर्ण धनुर्धरोंमें अग्रगण्य सात्यकिने कृतवर्माकी छातीमें दस बाणोंद्वारा गहरी चोट पहुँचायी

Transliteration

hārdikyaṁ daśabhir bāṇaiḥ pratyavidhyat stanāntare |

Translation

Sañjaya said: Sātyaki, foremost among all archers, took up his excellent bow and struck Hārdikya (Kṛtavarmā) in the region of the chest with ten arrows, inflicting a deep wound. In the moral atmosphere of the war, the verse highlights the relentless reciprocity of violence—skill and valor are displayed, yet the scene also underscores how martial excellence, when yoked to enmity, culminates in grievous harm.

Word by Word

• हार्दिक्यम्: Hardikya (Kritavarman)
• हार्दिक्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: हार्दिक्य (कृतवर्मन्-सम्बन्धी नाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• दशभिः: with ten
• दशभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशन्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• बाणैः: arrows
• बाणैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• प्रति: back/against; in return
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति

• अविध्यत्: pierced
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्यध् (विध्) — ‘to pierce’
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• स्तनान्तरे: in the space between the breasts (on the chest)
• स्तनान्तरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तन-अन्तर
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Hārdikya (Kṛtavarmā)
• Sātyaki
• bow (dhanus)
• arrows (bāṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse implicitly reflects the tragic ethic of battlefield reciprocity: even when warriors act within kṣatriya-duty and display mastery, the immediate fruit is suffering. It invites reflection on how dharma in war can still be morally heavy, as prowess becomes an instrument of injury.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Sātyaki, renowned among archers, shoots Kṛtavarmā (called Hārdikya) with ten arrows in the chest area, causing a severe wound—an intense exchange within the Shalya Parva battle episodes.