Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 39

Śalya Installed as Commander; Coalition Agreement and Battle Arrays (शल्यसेनापत्यारोहणं व्यूहवर्णनं च)

Devanagari script

न चैवात्र दया कार्या मातुलो<यं ममेति वै । क्षत्रधर्म पुरस्कृत्य जहि मद्रजनेश्वरम्‌

Transliteration

na caivātra dayā kāryā mātulo 'yaṃ mameti vai | kṣatradharma-puraskṛtya jahi madrājaneśvaram iti satyaṃ bravīmy eṣa duryodhana na saṃśayaḥ |

Translation

ସଞ୍ଜୟ କହିଲେ—‘ଏ ମୋର ମାମୁ’ ବୋଲି ଭାବି ଏଠାରେ ଦୟା କରିବା ଉଚିତ ନୁହେଁ। କ୍ଷତ୍ରିୟଧର୍ମକୁ ଆଗରେ ରଖି ମଦ୍ରଜନଙ୍କ ଈଶ୍ୱର ଶଲ୍ୟଙ୍କୁ ବଧ କର। ଦୁର୍ଯ୍ୟୋଧନ, ମୁଁ ସତ୍ୟ କହୁଛି; ସନ୍ଦେହ ନାହିଁ।

Word by Word

• na: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na

• ca: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca

• eva: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva

• atra: here/in this matter
• atra: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra

• dayā: compassion
• dayā: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: dayā
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• kāryā: to be done/should be shown
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kārya
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• mātulaḥ: maternal uncle
• Type: Noun
• Root: mātula
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ayam: this (man)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: idam
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• mama: of me/my
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: asmad
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• iti: thus (quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti

• vai: indeed/surely
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai

• kṣatra-dharmam: the duty of a kshatriya
• kṣatra-dharmam: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣatra-dharma
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• puraskṛtya: having put in front/keeping foremost
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: puraskṛ (kṛ)
• Form: Absolutive (ktvā/lyap)

• jahi: kill/slay
• Type: Verb
• Root: han
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• madra-jana-īśvaram: the lord of the Madra people (Shalya)
• madra-jana-īśvaram: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: madra-jana-īśvara
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• iti: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti

• satyam: truth/truly
• satyam: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: satya
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• bravīmi: I say/speak
• Type: Verb
• Root: brū
• Form: Present, First, Singular, Parasmaipada

• eṣaḥ: this (statement/this one)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: etad
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• duryodhana: O Duryodhana
• duryodhana: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: duryodhana
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• na: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na

• saṃśayaḥ: doubt
• saṃśayaḥ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃśaya
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Duryodhana
• Shalya
• Madra (people/kingdom)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds kshatriya-dharma: in a war framed as a duty-bound conflict, personal ties (such as being a maternal uncle) should not override the warrior’s obligation to act decisively against an enemy leader.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya reports a forceful exhortation to Duryodhana: do not spare Shalya out of family sentiment; instead, prioritize the warrior code and aim to kill Shalya, identified as the ruler of the Madras.