Mahabharata 9.17.696 — Shalya Parva, Adhyaya 17, Shloka 696

Śalya-hatānantarāṇi: Madrarāja-padānugānāṃ praskandana and the Pandava counter-encirclement (शल्यहतानन्तराणि—मद्रराजपदानुगानां प्रस्कन्दनम्)

Devanagari script

शिनेर्नप्ता किरन्‌ बाणैरभ्यवर्तत सात्यकि: । भरतश्रेष्ठ! इस प्रकार भागते हुए उन कौरव-योद्धाओंपर बाणोंकी वर्षा करते हुए शिनिपौत्र सात्यकि उनका पीछा करने लगे

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | śiner naptā kiran bāṇair abhyavartata sātyakiḥ | bharataśreṣṭha! iti prakāraṁ bhāgateṣu teṣu kauravayoddheṣu bāṇavarṣaṁ kṛtvā śinipautraḥ sātyakis tān anujagāma |

Translation

Sanjaya said: O best of the Bharatas, Sātyaki—the grandson of Śini—advanced, scattering a shower of arrows. As the Kaurava warriors fled, he pursued them relentlessly, raining shafts upon them, pressing the rout without letting fear or disorder turn him from his martial duty.

Word by Word

• शिनेः: of Śini
• शिनेः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिनि
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• नप्ता: grandson
• नप्ता: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नप्तृ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• किरन्: scattering, showering
• किरन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: कॄ (किरति)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• अभ्यवर्तत: advanced/charged towards
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत् (वर्तते) + अभि
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Ātmanepada

• सात्यकिः: Sātyaki
• सात्यकिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सात्यकि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Sātyaki
• Śini
• Kaurava warriors
• Bharata (as lineage epithet)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma in battle: steadfastness, courage, and disciplined action. Even amid chaos and retreat, the warrior is portrayed as maintaining resolve and executing duty without wavering.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sātyaki advances and pursues the retreating Kaurava fighters, showering them with arrows. Sanjaya reports this to Dhṛtarāṣṭra, emphasizing the intensity of the chase and the pressure on the fleeing troops.