Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 573

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

Book 9, Chapter 11

Devanagari script

समुद्यम्य महाबाहु: शल्यमभ्यपतद्‌ रणे । जिसमें वज्जकी गुरुता भरी है और जो हीरे

Transliteration

samudyamya mahābāhuḥ śalyam abhyapatad raṇe |

Translation

ສັນຊະຍະກ່າວວ່າ: ຊະລະຍະ ຜູ້ມີແຂນແຂງກ້າ ໄດ້ຍົກຫອກອັນໜັກໜ່ວງ ແລ້ວພຸ່ງເຂົ້າໃນສະໜາມຮົບ. ຖືອາວຸດທີ່ໜັກດັ່ງຟ້າຜ່າ ແລະປະດັບດ້ວຍເພັດ ມະນີ ແລະຮວມຮັດຕະນະອັນວິຈິດງາມ ລາວກໍພຸ່ງໃສ່ພີມະເສນ ໃນການຮົບ.

Word by Word

• समुद्यम्य: having lifted/raising (it)
• समुद्यम्य: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-उद्-यम् (धातु: यम्)
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), कर्तरि

• महाबाहुः: the mighty-armed one
• महाबाहुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाबाहु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शल्यम्: Shalya
• शल्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शल्य
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अभ्यपतत्: rushed/charged (upon)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-√पत् (धातु: पत्)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Śalya
• Bhīmasena
• battlefield (raṇa)
• spear/weapon (śalya-śastra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds the kṣatriya-war ethos: decisive action and fearlessness in combat. Ethically, it also hints at the tragic narrowing of human purpose in war—where strength and splendid weaponry serve destruction, reminding readers that dharma in battle is duty-bound yet morally costly.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Śalya, raising his heavy and ornate spear, charges on the battlefield to strike Bhīmasena, marking an escalation in the direct clash between major warriors.