Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 6

Śalya–Bhīma Gadā-saṃnipāta and Śalya’s Bāṇa-jāla against Yudhiṣṭhira

Book 9, Chapter 11

Devanagari script

पाण्डवास्तावकं सैन्यं व्यधमन्निशितै: शरै: । तथैव तावका योधा जघ्नु: पाण्डवसैनिकान्‌

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

pāṇḍavās tāvakaṃ sainyaṃ vyadhaman niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ |

tathaiva tāvakā yodhā jaghnuḥ pāṇḍavasainikān ||

Translation

サンジャヤは言った。「大王よ、パーンダヴァらは鋭い矢であなたの軍をなぎ倒し、同じくあなたの武者たちもまたパーンダヴァ軍の兵を討ち伏せた。」

Word by Word

• पाण्डवाः: the Pandavas
• पाण्डवाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तावकम्: your (belonging to you)
• तावकम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तावक
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सैन्यम्: army
• सैन्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सैन्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• व्यधमन्: they struck down / smote
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्य-धम्
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• निशितैः: with sharp
• निशितैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निशित
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• शरैः: arrows
• शरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• तथा: thus / likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• एव: indeed / just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• तावकाः: your (men) / your side's
• तावकाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तावक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• योधाः: warriors
• योधाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: योध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• जघ्नुः: they slew / killed
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: Perfect (Lit), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• पाण्डव: of the Pandavas
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• सैनिकान्: soldiers
• सैनिकान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सैनिक
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by address 'your')
• Pāṇḍavas
• Kaurava army (tāvaka sainya)
• Arrows (śara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the mutuality and inevitability of harm in war: both sides inflict and suffer destruction. Ethically, it points to the tragic cost of conflict even when framed as kṣatriya duty—victory is pursued through reciprocal killing.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the Pāṇḍavas are cutting down the Kaurava forces with sharp arrows, while the Kaurava warriors simultaneously kill Pāṇḍava soldiers—an intense, evenly matched exchange of slaughter.