Shloka 39

Rajo-dhūli-saṃmūḍha-saṅgrāmaḥ

The Dust-Obscured Battle and Mutual Charges

Devanagari script

अथ शल्यो गदापाणिरवतीर्य महारथात्‌ | शड्ुखस्य चतुरो वाहानहनद्‌ भरतर्षभ,भरतश्रेष्ठ! उस समय राजा शल्यने हाथमें गदा लिये अपने विशाल रथसे उतरकर शंखके चारों घोड़ोंको मार डाला

Transliteration

atha śalyo gadāpāṇir avatīrya mahārathāt | śaṅkhasya caturo vāhān ahanad bharatarṣabha ||

Translation

ສັນຊະຍະ ກ່າວວ່າ: ແລ້ວກະສັດ ຊາລະຍະ ຖືຄອນກະບອງ (ຄອນຫນັກ) ໃນມື ກ້າວລົງຈາກລົດຮົບໃຫຍ່ ແລະຟັນຕົກສັງຫານມ້າທັງສີ່ຂອງ ສັງຄະ ໃນທັນທີ.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• शल्यः: Shalya
• शल्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शल्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• गदापाणिः: mace-in-hand (holding a mace)
• गदापाणिः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गदापाणि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अवतीर्य: having descended
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-तॄ
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• महारथात्: from the great chariot
• महारथात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• शङ्खस्य: of Shankha
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्ख
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• चतुरः: four
• चतुरः: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• वाहान्: horses (draught-animals)
• वाहान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाह
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अहनत्: struck/killed
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• भरतर्षभ: O bull among the Bharatas
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरतर्षभ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Śalya
• Śaṅkha
• gadā (mace)
• mahāratha (great chariot)
• vāhāḥ (four horses)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a harsh dimension of kṣatriya warfare: victory is pursued through tactical disabling of the enemy, even by targeting the chariot’s horses. It invites reflection on how dharma in war can become entangled with expediency, and how battlefield choices escalate suffering beyond the duel between warriors.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Śalya gets down from his chariot with a mace and kills the four horses of the warrior Śaṅkha’s chariot, effectively immobilizing him and shifting the fight’s balance.