Shloka 31

Adhyāya 35 — Bhīmasena’s Counter-Encirclement and the Karṇa Engagement Escalation

Devanagari script

यदा द्रक्ष्यसि संग्रामे धर्मपुत्रं यमौ तथा

Transliteration

yadā drakṣyasi saṅgrāme dharmaputraṃ yamau tathā,

Translation

ଯେତେବେଳେ ତୁମେ ସଙ୍ଗ୍ରାମରେ ଧର୍ମପୁତ୍ର ଯୁଧିଷ୍ଠିରଙ୍କୁ ଏବଂ ଯମଜ ନକୁଳ–ସହଦେବଙ୍କୁ, ତଥା ଅନ୍ୟ ଦୁର୍ଜୟ ଭୂପାଳମାନଙ୍କୁ ମଧ୍ୟ, ମହାରଣରେ ଅତି ଶୀଘ୍ର ହସ୍ତରେ ଶସ୍ତ୍ର ଚାଳନା କରୁଥିବା ଦେଖିବ—ତୀକ୍ଷ୍ଣ ବାଣରେ ଆକାଶରେ ମେଘଛାୟା ପରି ଛାୟା ପସାରି, ଅବିଚ୍ଛିନ୍ନ ଶରବୃଷ୍ଟି ବର୍ଷାଇ ଶତ୍ରୁମାନଙ୍କୁ ସଂହାର କରୁଥିବା—ତେବେ ତୁମେ ପୁଣି ଏପରି ଦମ୍ଭଭରା କଥା କହିପାରିବ ନାହିଁ।

Word by Word

• यदा: when
• यदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा

• द्रक्ष्यसि: you will see
• द्रक्ष्यसि: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Lृट् (simple future), 2, singular, Parasmaipada

• संग्रामे: in battle
• संग्रामे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संग्राम
• Form: masculine, locative, singular

• धर्मपुत्रम्: Dharmaputra (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• धर्मपुत्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मपुत्र
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• यमौ: the two twins (Nakula and Sahadeva)
• यमौ: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम
• Form: masculine, accusative, dual

• तथा: also/likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

Speaker

शल्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śalya
• Yudhiṣṭhira (Dharmaputra)
• Nakula
• Sahadeva
• battlefield (saṅgrāma)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse cautions against empty bravado: true assessment of strength and dharma in war comes from direct encounter with the opponent’s prowess, not from boastful speech.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śalya addresses his interlocutor (contextually, Karṇa), warning that once he witnesses Yudhiṣṭhira and the twins fighting effectively—showering arrows like clouds—he will be unable to continue speaking arrogantly.