Shloka 266

Rajo-dhūli-saṃmūḍha-saṅgrāmaḥ

The Dust-Obscured Battle and Mutual Charges

Devanagari script

अभ्यधावज्जिघांसन्‌ वै शल्यं मद्राधिपं युधि । उस बलवान वीरने इन्द्रधनुषके समान अपने विशाल शरासनको कानोंतक खींचकर मद्रराज शल्यको युद्धमें मार डालनेकी इच्छासे उनपर धावा किया

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

abhyadhāvaj jighāṃsan vai śalyaṃ madrādhipaṃ yudhi |

Translation

Sañjaya berkata: “Kemudian dia meluru ke hadapan, berniat membunuh Śalya, penguasa Madra, di tengah pertempuran. Wira perkasa itu menarik busur besarnya hingga ke telinga—melengkung bagaikan pelangi Indra—lalu menyerbu raja Madra dengan tekad untuk menumbangkannya.”

Word by Word

• अभ्यधावत्: ran towards, charged
• अभ्यधावत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: धाव्
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• जिघांसन्: wishing to kill
• जिघांसन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: शतृ (Present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

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

• मद्राधिपं: lord of Madra
• मद्राधिपं: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मद्राधिप
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• युधि: in battle
• युधि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युध्
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Śalya
• Madra (kingdom)
• bow (śarāsana/dhanus implied by context)
• Indra’s rainbow (indradhanus, implied by context)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the stark moral tension of battlefield dharma: a warrior’s resolve can be single-pointed and lethal, yet it is framed within the accepted duty of combat. It illustrates how intention (to kill) and disciplined action (charging, drawing the bow) operate within the harsh ethical world of Kurukṣetra.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates that a powerful warrior charges at Śalya, the king of Madra, aiming to kill him in battle, drawing his great bow to the ear as he advances.