Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 26

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

Book 9, Chapter 11

Devanagari script

द्विरदास्तुरगाश्चार्ता: पत्तयो रथिनस्तथा । शल्यस्य बाणैरपतन्‌ बश्रमुर्व्यनदंस्तथा,शल्यके बाणोंकी मार खाकर पीड़ित हुए हाथी, घोड़े, रथी और पैदल-सैनिक गिरने, चक्कर काटने और आर्तनाद करने लगे

Transliteration

dviradās turagāś cārtāḥ pattayo rathinas tathā | śalyasya bāṇair apatan bhramur urvy anadan tathā ||

Translation

ສັນຊະຍະ ກ່າວວ່າ: ຖືກລູກສອນຂອງ ຊະລະຍະ ທຳຮ້າຍຈົນທຸກທໍລະມານ, ຊ້າງ ແລະ ມ້າ, ພ້ອມທັງທະຫານຍ່າງທ້າວ ແລະນັກຮົບລົດສົງຄາມ, ລົ້ມລົງ; ບາງພວກກໍມືນມົນວົນວຽນໄປທົ່ວພື້ນດິນ ແລະຮ້ອງຄຳຄວນດ້ວຍຄວາມເຈັບປວດ.

Word by Word

• द्विरदाः: elephants
• द्विरदाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विरद
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तुरगाः: horses
• तुरगाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुरग
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• आर्ताः: distressed, afflicted
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आर्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• पत्तयः: foot-soldiers
• पत्तयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पत्ति
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• रथिनः: chariot-warriors
• रथिनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तथा: likewise, also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• शल्यस्य: of Shalya
• Type: Noun
• Root: शल्य
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• बाणैः: with arrows
• बाणैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अपतन्: fell down
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत्
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Plural

• भ्रमुः: reeled, staggered, went in circles
• Type: Verb
• Root: भ्रम्
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Plural

• व्यनदन्: cried out, wailed
• Type: Verb
• Root: नद्
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Plural

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

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Śalya
• arrows (bāṇa)
• elephants
• horses
• foot-soldiers (infantry)
• chariot-warriors
• earth/ground (urvī)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the human and animal suffering produced by warfare: martial skill (Śalya’s archery) brings immediate devastation to all ranks. Ethically, it invites reflection on the heavy cost that accompanies kṣatriya duty and the tragic consequences of violent conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes the battlefield effect of Śalya’s arrows: elephants, horses, infantry, and chariot-fighters are struck; many collapse, while others stagger and cry out in pain, showing Śalya’s overwhelming impact in the fight.