Shloka 47

शकुनिवधः — Sahadeva’s Slaying of Śakuni

with Ulūka’s fall

Devanagari script

सुशर्माणं रणे हत्वा पुत्रानस्य महारथान्‌

Transliteration

Suśarmāṇaṃ raṇe hatvā putrān asya mahārathān

Translation

Sañjaya berkata: Setelah membunuh Suśarmā dalam pertempuran, dia juga membunuh anak-anaknya—para mahāratha, pahlawan kereta perang yang perkasa…

Word by Word

• सुशर्माणम्: Susharman (name)
• सुशर्माणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुशर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• हत्वा: having slain
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• पुत्रान्: sons
• पुत्रान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अस्य: of him / his
• अस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• महारथान्: great chariot-warriors
• महारथान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• संजय (Sañjaya)
• सुशर्मा (Suśarmā)
• सुशर्मा के पुत्र (sons of Suśarmā)
• रण (battlefield/war)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the harsh reality of kṣatriya-dharma in wartime: even when killing is framed as a duty within a righteous battle, it carries an ethical gravity—especially when entire lineages of warriors fall. It invites reflection on how dharma can demand terrible actions and how victory is inseparable from loss.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Suśarmā has been slain in combat, along with his sons who are described as mahārathas (elite chariot-warriors). This functions as a battlefield update within the Shalya Parva’s ongoing account of major deaths and turning points late in the Kurukṣetra war.