Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 15

अध्याय २२ — अमर्याद-युद्धवर्णन

Unrestrained Battle Description and Śakuni’s Rear Assault

Devanagari script

समन्तात्‌ कीर्यमाणस्तु बाणसंघैर्महात्मभि:

Transliteration

samantāt kīryamāṇas tu bāṇasaṅghair mahātmabhiḥ

Translation

അപ്പോൾ മഹാത്മാക്കളായ യോദ്ധാക്കൾ വിട്ട അമ്പുകളുടെ ഘനവർഷം അവനെ എല്ലാ വശത്തുനിന്നും മൂടിക്കളഞ്ഞു.

Word by Word

• समन्तात्: on all sides, all around
• समन्तात्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्तात्
• Form: Avyaya (directional/locative adverb)

• कीर्यमाणः: being scattered/strewn
• कीर्यमाणः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: कॄ (किरति)
• Form: Present passive participle (शानच्), masculine nominative singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु
• Form: Avyaya (particle)

• बाण-संघैः: by volleys/masses of arrows
• बाण-संघैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाणसंघ
• Form: Masculine instrumental plural

• महात्मभिः: by great-souled (warriors)
• महात्मभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महात्मन्
• Form: Masculine instrumental plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• arrows (bāṇa)
• volleys/masses (saṅgha)
• great-souled warriors (mahātmānaḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights steadfastness under extreme adversity: in the dharmic frame of the epic, a warrior’s resolve is measured not by ease but by composure and duty when surrounded by danger.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a combatant being attacked from all directions, overwhelmed by concentrated arrow-fire released by eminent warriors, intensifying the scene’s urgency and peril.