Shloka 15

शल्य–युधिष्ठिरयुद्धप्रारम्भः

Commencement of the Śalya–Yudhiṣṭhira Duel

Devanagari script

शल्यस्तु पीडितस्तेन स्वस्रीयेण महात्मना । नकुल॑ पीडयामास पत्रिभिनतपर्वभि:

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | śalyas tu pīḍitas tena svasrīyeṇa mahātmanā | nakulaṁ pīḍayāmāsa patribhir nataparvabhiḥ ||

Translation

ସଞ୍ଜୟ କହିଲେ—ସେଇ ମହାତ୍ମା ଭଉଣୀପୁତ୍ରଙ୍କ ଆଘାତରେ ପୀଡିତ ହୋଇ ଶଲ୍ୟ ମଧ୍ୟ ପ୍ରତିଆଘାତ କଲେ ଏବଂ ବଙ୍କା ସନ୍ଧିଯୁକ୍ତ ଅନେକ ଶର ଦ୍ୱାରା ନକୁଳଙ୍କୁ ଭୟଙ୍କର ଭାବେ ପୀଡାଦାନ କଲେ। ଯୁଦ୍ଧର ସେଇ ଘୋର ସଙ୍କୁଳତାରେ, ଯେଉଁଠି ବନ୍ଧୁତ୍ୱ ମଧ୍ୟ କ୍ଷାତ୍ରଧର୍ମକୁ ରୋକେନାହିଁ, ଆଘାତର ପ୍ରତିଉତ୍ତର ଆଘାତେଇ ହୁଏ।

Word by Word

• शल्यः: Shalya
• शल्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शल्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• पीडितः: afflicted/pressed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पीड्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Past passive participle (क्त)

• तेन: by him/thereby
• तेन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• स्वस्रीयेण: by (his) sister’s son/nephew
• स्वस्रीयेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वस्रीय
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• महात्मना: by the great-souled (one)
• महात्मना: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• नकुलम्: Nakula
• नकुलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नकुल
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पीडयामास: tormented/afflicted
• Type: Verb
• Root: पीड्
• Form: Periphrastic perfect (लिट्), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पत्रिभिः: with arrows (lit. feathered/winged ones)
• पत्रिभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पत्रिन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• नतपर्वभिः: with bent-jointed (arrows)
• नतपर्वभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नतपर्वन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Śalya
• Nakula

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the battlefield ethic of kṣatriya-dharma: even when opponents are connected by kinship, a warrior responds to injury with disciplined counteraction; personal relations do not override the demands of duty in war.

What is happening in the narrative?

After being hurt by his nephew (the Pāṇḍava Nakula), Śalya retaliates by striking Nakula with numerous painful arrows described as having bent joints/knots, intensifying the duel within the broader Saṅkula (confused, close-pressed) battle.