Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 18

अध्याय २२ — अमर्याद-युद्धवर्णन

Unrestrained Battle Description and Śakuni’s Rear Assault

Devanagari script

तेषामापततां घोरस्तुमुल: समपद्यत

Transliteration

teṣām āpatatāṁ ghoras tumulaḥ samapadyata

Translation

സഞ്ജയൻ പറഞ്ഞു—അവർ പരസ്പരം പാഞ്ഞുകയറിയപ്പോൾ ഭീകരവും തുമുലവുമായ ഏറ്റുമുട്ടൽ ഉദിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• आपतताम्: of (those) rushing/falling upon
• आपतताम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-पत्
• Form: Present active participle, Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• घोरः: terrible
• घोरः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तुमुलः: tumultuous, loud
• तुमुलः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुमुल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• समपद्यत: arose, came to be
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-√पद्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how unchecked martial fury quickly becomes collective chaos, implying an ethical warning: when conflict escalates beyond restraint, suffering multiplies and discernment is lost—even when actions are framed as duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes the moment when opposing fighters surge into close engagement; their charge produces a terrifying uproar—an intense, confused melee on the battlefield.