Shloka 26

Śalya–Yudhiṣṭhira Duel and the Discharge of the Śakti (शल्यवधप्रसङ्गः)

Devanagari script

“(नकुल-सहदेवके अतिरिक्त) सात्यकि मेरे दाहिने चक्रकी रक्षा करें और धृष्टद्युम्न बायें चक्रकी। आज कुन्तीकुमार अर्जुन मेरे पृष्ठभागकी रक्षामें तत्पर रहें और शस्त्रधारियोंमें श्रेष्ठ भीमसेन मेरे आगे-आगे चलें ।। एवमभ्यधिक: शल्याद्‌ भविष्यामि महामृधे | एवमुक्तास्तथा चक्रुस्तदा राज्ञ: प्रियेषिण:,“ऐसी व्यवस्था होनेपर मैं इस महायुद्धमें शल्यसे अधिक शक्तिशाली हो जाऊँगा।' उनके ऐसा कहनेपर राजाका प्रिय करनेकी इच्छावाले भाइयोंने उस समय वैसा ही किया

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | (nakula-sahadevake atirikta) sātyaki me dakṣiṇa-cakrasya rakṣāṃ karotu dhṛṣṭadyumno vāma-cakrasya | adya kuntīkumāro 'rjunaḥ me pṛṣṭhabhāgasya rakṣāyāṃ tatparo bhavatu, śastradhāriṣu śreṣṭho bhīmasenaś ca mama agre agre gacchatu || evam abhyadhikaḥ śalyād bhaviṣyāmi mahāmṛdhe | evam uktās tathā cakrus tadā rājñaḥ priyeṣiṇaḥ ||

Translation

ସଞ୍ଜୟ କହିଲେ—“(ନକୁଳ ଓ ସହଦେବଙ୍କୁ ଛାଡ଼ି) ସାତ୍ୟକି ମୋର ଦକ୍ଷିଣ/ଡାହାଣ ଚକ୍ରକୁ ରକ୍ଷା କରୁ, ଧୃଷ୍ଟଦ୍ୟୁମ୍ନ ବାମ ଚକ୍ରକୁ। ଆଜି କୁନ୍ତୀପୁତ୍ର ଅର୍ଜୁନ ମୋର ପୃଷ୍ଠଭାଗ ରକ୍ଷାରେ ତତ୍ପର ରହୁ, ଏବଂ ଶସ୍ତ୍ରଧାରୀମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ ଭୀମସେନ ମୋର ଆଗରେ ଆଗରେ ଚାଲୁ। ଏପରି ବ୍ୟବସ୍ଥା ହେଲେ ଏହି ମହାଯୁଦ୍ଧରେ ମୁଁ ଶଲ୍ୟଠାରୁ ଅଧିକ ବଳବାନ ହେବି।” ଏହିପରି କହିବା ପରେ, ରାଜାଙ୍କୁ ପ୍ରିୟ କରିବାକୁ ଇଚ୍ଛୁକ ସେଇ ଭାଇମାନେ ସେତେବେଳେ ତଦନୁସାରେ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟ କଲେ।

Word by Word

एवम्thus, in this manner

अभ्यधिकःsuperior, greater

शल्यात्than Shalya

भविष्यामिI shall be/become

महामृधेin the great battle

एवम्thus

उक्ताःhaving been told / addressed

तथाso, accordingly

चक्रुःthey did

तदाthen

राज्ञःof the king

प्रियेषिणःdesiring to please (him)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Sātyaki

Dhṛṣṭadyumna

Arjuna (Kuntīkumāra)

Bhīmasena

Nakula

Sahadeva

Śalya

cakra (battle-formation)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The passage highlights kṣatriya-dharma in practice: disciplined coordination, assigning protection to each flank and the rear, and loyal execution by comrades. Ethical emphasis falls on responsibility and fidelity to one’s leader and role amid the chaos of war.

What is happening in the narrative?

A commander outlines a tactical arrangement for the battle-formation: Sātyaki guards the right wing, Dhṛṣṭadyumna the left, Arjuna protects the rear, and Bhīma advances in front. Confident that this will make him superior to Śalya in the great fight, he issues the plan, and the brothers carry it out to please their king.