Shloka 323

धृतराष्ट्र-संजय-संवादः — दुर्योधनस्य ह्रदप्रवेशः

Dhṛtarāṣṭra–Saṃjaya Dialogue: Duryodhana’s Entry into the Lake

Devanagari script

उलूकस्य महाराज भल्लेनापाहरच्छिर: । महाराज! तब प्रतापी शूरवीर सहदेवने एक भलल मारकर अपने ऊपर आक्रमण करनेवाले उलूकका मस्तक काट डाला

Transliteration

ulūkasya mahārāja bhallena apāharac chiraḥ |

Translation

Sañjaya said: “O King, with a sharp bhalla-arrow he severed and carried off Ulūka’s head.” In the heat of battle, Sahadeva’s decisive strike ends the assault of the attacker, illustrating the grim kṣatriya-duty of meeting aggression with resolute force when war has become unavoidable.

Word by Word

• उलूकस्य: of Ulūka
• उलूकस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: उलूक
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• महाराज: O great king
• महाराज: Sambodhana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• भल्लेन: with a bhalla-arrow
• भल्लेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भल्ल
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• अपाहरत्: struck off / removed
• Type: Verb
• Root: अप-हृ
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• शिरः: head
• शिरः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Ulūka
• bhalla (arrow)
• head (śiraḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Within the Mahābhārata’s war-ethic, a kṣatriya must confront an aggressor decisively in battle; the verse underscores the harsh reality that, once dharma-yuddha conditions are presumed, swift action to neutralize a threat is treated as duty rather than personal cruelty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Ulūka is slain: a warrior strikes with a bhalla-arrow and severs Ulūka’s head, ending his attack amid the ongoing Kurukṣetra battle.