Shloka 39
Book 9 (Śalya-parva), Adhyāya 13 — Arjuna’s Arrow-storm and the Drauṇi Confrontation
(अहं मद्भ्रातरश्नैव सात्यकिश्न महारथ: । पज्चाला: सृञ्जयाश्वैव न शक्ता: सम हि मद्रपम् ।। निहनिष्यति चैवाद्य मातुलो5स्मान् महाबल: । गोविन्दवचनं सत्यं कथं भवति कि त्विदम् ।।) मैं, मेरे भाई, महारथी सात्यकि तथा पांचाल और सूंजय योद्धा सब मिलकर भी मद्रराज शल्यको पराजित करनेमें समर्थ नहीं हो रहे हैं। जान पड़ता है ये महाबली मामा आज हमलोगोंका वध कर डालेंगे। फिर भगवान् श्रीकृष्णकी यह बात (कि शल्य मेरे हाथसे मारे जायँगे) कैसे सिद्ध होगी?'। ततः सरथनागाश्चा: पाण्डवा: पाण्डुपूर्वज । मद्रराजं समासेदु: पीडयन्त: समन्ततः
sañjaya uvāca |
ahaṃ mad-bhrātaraś caiva sātyakiś ca mahārathaḥ |
pāñcālāḥ sṛñjayāś caiva na śaktāḥ sama hi madrāpam ||
nihaniṣyati caivādya mātulo ’smān mahābalaḥ |
govinda-vacanaṃ satyaṃ kathaṃ bhavati ki tv idam ||
tataḥ sa-ratha-nāgāś ca pāṇḍavāḥ pāṇḍu-pūrvaja |
madrarājaṃ samāseduḥ pīḍayantaḥ samantataḥ ||
‘ମୁଁ, ମୋ ଭାଇମାନେ, ମହାରଥୀ ସାତ୍ୟକି, ଏବଂ ପାଞ୍ଚାଳ ଓ ସୃଞ୍ଜୟ—ସମସ୍ତେ ମିଶି ମଧ୍ୟ ସମରରେ ମଦ୍ରରାଜ ଶଲ୍ୟଙ୍କ ସମ୍ମୁଖୀନ ହେବାକୁ ସମର୍ଥ ନୁହେଁ। ଏହି ମହାବଳୀ ମାତୁଳ ଆଜି ଆମକୁ ବଧ କରିଦେବେ ବୋଲି ଲାଗୁଛି। ତେବେ “ଶଲ୍ୟ ମୋ ହାତରେ ନିହତ ହେବେ” ବୋଲି ଗୋବିନ୍ଦଙ୍କ ବଚନ କିପରି ସତ୍ୟ ହେବ? ଏହା କ’ଣ?’ ତାପରେ ପାଣ୍ଡବମାନେ ରଥ ଓ ଗଜ ସହିତ ମଦ୍ରରାଜଙ୍କୁ ଚାରିଦିଗରୁ ଘେରି ଚାପ ଦେଲେ।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights the ethical and spiritual tension between immediate battlefield appearances and trust in a righteous promise: even when human strength seems insufficient, the narrative insists that Govinda’s word must become true, pointing to the Mahābhārata theme that truth (satya) and ordained outcomes can prevail beyond visible odds.
In the midst of the fight, the speaker expresses alarm that even a combined force (the narrator’s side with Sātyaki, the Pāñcālas, and the Sṛñjayas) cannot overcome Śalya, the king of Madra. Fearing imminent defeat, he questions how Kṛṣṇa’s prediction that Śalya will be slain by a particular hand can be fulfilled. Immediately after, the Pāṇḍavas advance with chariots and elephants and surround Śalya from all directions.