Shloka 77

Śalya’s Objection to Sārathya and Duryodhana’s Conciliation (शल्यमन्यु-प्रशमनम् / Sārathyāṅgīkāra)

Devanagari script

हतशेषास्तु ये वीरा: पज्चालानां महारथा: । तान्‌ प्रभग्नान्‌ द्रुतान्‌ वीर: पृष्ठतो विकिरझ्छरै:

Transliteration

hataśeṣās tu ye vīrāḥ pāñcālānāṃ mahārathāḥ | tān prabhagnān drutān vīraḥ pṛṣṭhato vikirac charaiḥ ||

Translation

ສັນຊະຍະກ່າວວ່າ: ວີຣະຊົນມະຫາຣະຖະຂອງປານຈາລາທີ່ຍັງເຫຼືອ ຖືກທຳລາຍຂວັນແລ້ວກຳລັງຫນີ, ຖືກວີຣະນັ້ນໄລ່ຕາມຈາກຂ້າງຫຼັງ ແລະກະຈາຍເຂົາເຈົ້າດ້ວຍຝົນລູກສອນ.

Word by Word

हतशेषाःthose who remained after being slain (the survivors)

तुbut/indeed

येwho

वीराःheroes/warriors

पाञ्चालानाम्of the Panchalas

महारथाःgreat chariot-warriors

तान्them

प्रभग्नान्broken/scattered, routed

द्रुतान्running swiftly, fleeing

वीरःthe hero (Karna)

पृष्ठतःfrom behind, at the rear

विकिरत्scattering, showering

छरैःwith arrows

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Pāñcālas

mahārathas

arrows (śara)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the harsh reality of war: once an army breaks, the ethical and strategic stakes intensify. It implicitly contrasts valor with the vulnerability of the routed, reminding readers that kṣatriya action in battle carries grave consequences even when performed as duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that the remaining Pāñcāla elite chariot-warriors, having been routed, flee; a valiant pursuer attacks them from behind, showering them with arrows as they run.