Shloka 28

शल्यस्य सेनापत्याभ्युपगमः | Śalya’s Acceptance of Command

Devanagari script

प्राप्ता: कामा: श्रुता वेदा: शत्रूणां मूर्थ्नि च स्थितम्‌ भृत्या मे सुभृतास्तात दीनश्वाभ्युदूधृतो जन:

Transliteration

prāptāḥ kāmāḥ śrutā vedāḥ śatrūṇāṃ mūrdhni ca sthitam | bhṛtyā me subhṛtās tāta dīnaśvābhyudūdhṛto janaḥ ||

Translation

സഞ്ജയൻ പറഞ്ഞു— എന്റെ എല്ലാ ആഗ്രഹങ്ങളും സഫലമായി; ഞാൻ വേദങ്ങൾ യഥാവിധി ശ്രവിച്ചു പഠിച്ചു; ശത്രുക്കളുടെ ശിരസ്സിന്മേൽ ഞാൻ നിലകൊണ്ടു. ഹേ താതാ! എന്റെ ഭൃത്യർ സുസംരക്ഷിതരാണ്; ദീനദരിദ്രജനത്തെയും ഞാൻ ദുഃഖത്തിൽ നിന്ന് ഉയർത്തിയിരിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

प्राप्ताःattained, obtained

कामाःdesires, wishes

श्रुताःheard, learned

वेदाःVedas, sacred knowledge

शत्रूणाम्of enemies

मूर्ध्निon the head, on the top

चand

स्थितम्placed, standing, established

भृत्याःservants, retainers

मेmy, of me

सुभृताःwell-supported/maintained, well-served

तातO dear one / O father (term of address)

दीनश्वDīnaśva (proper name; lit. 'having poor/weak horses')

अभ्युदूधृतःraised up, exalted, lifted

जनःpeople, person

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

enemies (śatravaḥ)

Vedas (vedāḥ)

attendants/servants (bhṛtyāḥ)

people (janaḥ)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a ruler’s self-assessment in terms of worldly success—fulfilled desires, learning, victory over enemies, and welfare of dependents. Ethically, it invites reflection on how power and learning can become grounds for pride, and how true dharma requires that prosperity and victory be tempered by humility and responsibility toward one’s people.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports a statement of triumph and accomplishment: the speaker claims to have achieved desired goals, mastered sacred learning, dominated enemies, and ensured that servants and the populace are properly supported and uplifted from hardship.