Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 423

शल्यस्य पाण्डवसेनापीडनम् — Śalya’s Assault on the Pāṇḍava Host

with Omens and Bhīma’s Counter

Devanagari script

त्रिभिवव सारथिं हत्वा कर्णपुत्रो ननाद ह । उसने चार बाणोंसे उनके चारों घोड़ोंको मार डाला और पाँचसे उनकी ध्वजा काटकर तीनसे सारथिके भी प्राण ले लिये। इसके बाद कर्णपुत्र जोर-जोरसे सिंहनाद करने लगा

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | tribhir eva sārathiṃ hatvā karṇaputro nanāda ha |

Translation

ສັນຊະຍາກ່າວວ່າ: ເມື່ອສັງຫານສາລະຖີດ້ວຍລູກສອນສາມດອກແລ້ວ ບຸດແຫ່ງກັນນະກໍຮ້ອງຄຳຮາມດັງກ້ອງ. ໃນຄວາມຮ້ອນແຮງແຫ່ງສົງຄາມ ລາວຟັນລົງມ້າທັງສີ່ດ້ວຍລູກສອນສີ່ດອກ ແລະຕັດທຸງດ້ວຍຫ້າດອກ; ຈາກນັ້ນດ້ວຍລູກສອນສາມດອກ ລາວກໍພາຊີວິດຂອງສາລະຖີໄປ. ແລ້ວບຸດແຫ່ງກັນນະກໍຮ້ອງຄຳຮາມດັ່ງສິງໂຕຢ່າງກັງວານ.

Word by Word

• त्रिभिः: with three (arrows)
• त्रिभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

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

• सारथिम्: the charioteer
• सारथिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सारथि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• हत्वा: having slain
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), Non-finite

• कर्णपुत्रः: Karna's son
• कर्णपुत्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्णपुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ननाद: roared/sounded
• Type: Verb
• Root: नद्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• ह: indeed (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• संजय (Sanjaya)
• कर्णपुत्र (Karna’s son, Vṛṣasena)
• सारथि (charioteer)
• रथ (chariot, implied)
• अश्व (horses, from the accompanying sense)
• ध्वजा (banner/standard, from the accompanying sense)
• बाण (arrows, from the accompanying sense)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the battlefield ideal of swift martial efficiency and public assertion of valor, while implicitly exposing the ethical tension of war: victory is achieved through the taking of lives (even non-combatant roles like a charioteer) and the destruction of symbols of honor (banner), reminding readers that dharma in war is complex and morally costly.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya reports that Karna’s son kills the charioteer with three arrows and then roars loudly in triumph; the accompanying narrative sense adds that he also brings down the horses and cuts the banner, demonstrating dominance over the opponent’s chariot and proclaiming his prowess.