Shloka 32

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

Devanagari script

शितै: पृषत्कै: कुर्वाणानभ्रच्छायामिवाम्बरे । अस्यतः: क्षिण्वतश्नारील्लघुहस्तान्‌ दुरासदान्‌ | पार्थिवानपि चान्यांस्त्वं तदा नैवं वदिष्यसि

Transliteration

śitaiḥ pṛṣatkaiḥ kurvāṇān abhracchāyām ivāmbare | asyataḥ kṣiṇvataś śatrūl laghuhastān durāsadān || pārthivān api cānyāṁs tvaṁ tadā naivaṁ vadiṣyasi |

Translation

ଯେତେବେଳେ ତୁମେ ସେହି ଦୁରାସଦ ରାଜମାନଙ୍କୁ—ହସ୍ତଚାଳନାରେ ଅତି ଦ୍ରୁତ—ତୀକ୍ଷ୍ଣ ବାଣ ଛାଡ଼ୁଥିବା ଦେଖିବ, ଯେପରି ଆକାଶରେ ମେଘଛାୟା ପରି ଛାୟା ପଡ଼ିଯାଏ; ସେମାନେ ନିରନ୍ତର ଶରବୃଷ୍ଟି କରି ଶତ୍ରୁମାନଙ୍କୁ ସଂହାର କରୁଛନ୍ତି; ଏବଂ ଧର୍ମପୁତ୍ର ଯୁଧିଷ୍ଠିର, ନକୁଳ, ସହଦେବ ଓ ଅନ୍ୟ ଅଜେୟ ଭୂପାଳମାନେ ରଣଭୂମିରେ ପ୍ରତ୍ୟକ୍ଷ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟରତ ଦିଶିବେ—ସେତେବେଳେ ତୁମେ ଏପରି ଗର୍ବବାକ୍ୟ ପୁଣି କହିପାରିବ ନାହିଁ।

Word by Word

• शितैः: with sharp
• शितैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शित
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• पृषत्कैः: with arrows
• पृषत्कैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृषत्क
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• कुर्वाणान्: making / producing
• कुर्वाणान्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अभ्रच्छायाम्: a cloud-shadow
• अभ्रच्छायाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभ्रच्छाया
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• इव: like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• अम्बरे: in the sky
• अम्बरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बर
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• अस्यतः: of (him) shooting / hurling
• अस्यतः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• क्षिण्वतः: of (him) destroying / wearing down
• क्षिण्वतः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षि
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• श्नारीः: enemies (reading uncertain)
• श्नारीः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्नारी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

• लघुहस्तान्: swift-handed
• लघुहस्तान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लघुहस्त
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• दुरासदान्: hard to approach / formidable
• दुरासदान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुरासद
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• पार्थिवान्: kings
• पार्थिवान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अपि: also / even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अन्यान्: other
• अन्यान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Nominative, Singular

• तदा: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• एवम्: thus / in this way
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• वदिष्यसि: you will say
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद्
• Form: Simple Future (लृट्), Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

शल्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śalya
• Yudhiṣṭhira (Dharmaputra)
• Nakula
• Sahadeva
• other kings (pārthivāḥ)
• arrows (pṛṣatkāḥ)
• sky (ambara)
• cloud-shadow (abhracchāyā)
• enemies (śatravaḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse warns against empty bravado in war: true assessment of opponents and humility before proven strength are part of kṣatriya-dharma. Śalya implies that dharmically grounded warriors, acting with discipline and skill, will silence reckless speech.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śalya describes a vivid battlefield scene—arrows darkening the sky like cloud-shadow—as formidable kings (including Yudhiṣṭhira, Nakula, and Sahadeva) relentlessly strike down enemies. He tells his addressee that once this is witnessed, earlier boastful talk will not continue.