Shloka 31

Saubha-ākhyāna: Śālva’s Approach and the Fortification of Dvārakā (सौभाख्यानम्—द्वारकायाः सुरक्षाविधानम्)

Devanagari script

अहं सौभपते: सेनामायसैर्भुजगैरिव । धनुर्भुजविनिर्मुक्तिर्नाशयाम्यद्य यादवा:,“यदुवंशियो! मैं अपने धरनुर्दण्डसे छूटे हुए लोहेके सर्पतुल्य बाणोंद्वारा सौभपति शाल्वकी सेनाको अभी नष्ट किये देता हूँ

Transliteration

ahaṃ saubhapateḥ senām āyasair bhujagair iva | dhanur-bhuja-vinirmuktir nāśayāmy adya yādavāḥ ||

Translation

Vāyu said: “O Yādavas, today I shall destroy the army of Śālva, lord of Saubha, with arrows released from my bow-arm—like iron serpents.” The utterance frames the coming violence as a decisive, duty-driven intervention in battle, emphasizing irresistible force and the moral resolve to end an opposing host.

Word by Word

अहम्I

सौभपतेःof Saubhapati (Śālva)

सेनाम्army

आयसैःiron (made of iron)

भुजगैःserpents

इवlike, as

धनुःfrom the bow

भुजon the arm

विनिर्मुक्तिःdischarge, release

नाशयामिI destroy

अद्यtoday, now

यादवाःO Yādavas

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vāyudeva

Yādavas (Yadu clan)

Śālva

Saubha (Śālva’s city/vehicle/stronghold)

Śālva’s army

bow

arrows (likened to iron serpents)

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 unwavering resolve in the face of conflict and presents forceful action as a purposeful, duty-oriented act within a war context—ending an enemy host decisively rather than wavering.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva addresses the Yādavas and declares that he will immediately destroy Śālva (the lord of Saubha)’s army, using arrows compared to iron serpents released from his bow.