Mahabharata 9.17.2 — Shalya Parva, Adhyaya 17, Shloka 2

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

Devanagari script

ततः स शरवर्षेण पर्जन्य इव वृष्टिमान्‌ । अभ्यवर्षदमेयात्मा क्षत्रियान्‌ क्षत्रियर्षभ:

Transliteration

tataḥ sa śaravarṣeṇa parjanya iva vṛṣṭimān | abhyavarṣad ameyātmā kṣatriyān kṣatriyarṣabhaḥ ||

Translation

サンジャヤは言った。――ついで、刹帝利の雄牛、測り知れぬ魂をもつ彼は、武者たちに向けて矢の雨を降らせた。雨雲が降雨を注ぐがごとく。そこには戦の苛烈な勢いが示される。武の卓越と決意が前へと押し出される一方、暴力の倫理的重みは、刹帝利の戦の義務のうちに黙して含まれている。

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः
• Form: Avyaya (ablatival adverb: 'from that/then')

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

• शर-वर्षेण: with a shower of arrows
• शर-वर्षेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरवर्ष
• Form: Neuter, instrumental, singular

• पर्जन्यः: a rain-cloud
• पर्जन्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्जन्य
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

• इव: like, as if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव
• Form: Avyaya (comparative particle)

• वृष्टिमान्: rain-bearing, raining
• वृष्टिमान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृष्टिमत्
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

• अभ्यवर्षत्: rained upon, showered upon
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-√वृष्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), parasmaipada, 3rd person, singular

• अमेय-आत्मा: he whose self/strength is immeasurable
• अमेय-आत्मा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमेयात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

• क्षत्रियान्: the warriors (kshatriyas)
• क्षत्रियान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय
• Form: Masculine, accusative, plural

• क्षत्रिय-ऋषभः: the bull among kshatriyas (best warrior)
• क्षत्रिय-ऋषभः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रियर्षभ
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• an unnamed foremost kshatriya (kṣatriyarṣabhaḥ)
• kṣatriyas (warriors)
• arrows (śara)
• rain-cloud (parjanya)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ideal of kṣatriya prowess—unyielding courage and effectiveness in battle—while implicitly situating such violence within the framework of kṣatriya-dharma (the warrior’s duty), where action is driven by role-bound obligation rather than personal whim.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya describes a leading warrior unleashing an intense barrage of arrows on opposing kṣatriyas, compared to a rain-cloud pouring down rain—an image emphasizing overwhelming force and the escalating ferocity of the fight.