Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 41

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

Devanagari script

यच्च ते तपसो वीर्य यच्च क्षात्रं बल॑ं तव | तद्‌ दर्शय रणे सर्व जहि चैनं महारथम्‌

Transliteration

yacca te tapaso vīryaṃ yacca kṣātraṃ balaṃ tava | tad darśaya raṇe sarvaṃ jahi cainaṃ mahāratham iti satyaṃ bravīmy eṣa duryodhana na saṃśayaḥ |

Translation

ସଞ୍ଜୟ କହିଲେ—ତୁମ ତପସ୍ୟାରୁ ଯେ ଶକ୍ତି, ତୁମ କ୍ଷାତ୍ରବଳ ଯେତେ, ସେ ସବୁ ରଣଭୂମିରେ ପ୍ରକାଶ କର; ଏହି ମହାରଥୀକୁ ନିହତ କର। ଦୁର୍ଯ୍ୟୋଧନ, ମୁଁ ସତ୍ୟ କହୁଛି—ସନ୍ଦେହ ନାହିଁ।

Word by Word

• यत्: whatever/that which
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

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

• ते: of you/your
• ते: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: त्वद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• तपसः: of austerity
• तपसः: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• वीर्यम्: power, potency
• वीर्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• यत्: whatever/that which
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

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

• क्षात्रम्: kshatriya (martial) might
• क्षात्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: क्षात्र
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• बलम्: strength
• बलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• तव: of you/your
• तव: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: त्वद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• तत्: that (all that)
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• दर्शय: show, display
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Imperative, 2, Singular, Parasmaipada

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• सर्वम्: entirely, all (of it)
• सर्वम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• जहि: slay, kill
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: Imperative, 2, Singular, Parasmaipada

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

• एनम्: this one/him
• एनम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद् (एनद्-प्रयोगः)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• महारथम्: the great chariot-warrior
• महारथम्: Karma
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: महारथ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• सत्य: truth, truly
• सत्य: Karma
• Type: Adjective (used adverbially)
• Root: सत्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• ब्रवीमि: I say
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Present, 1, Singular, Parasmaipada

• एषः: this (is)
• एषः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दुर्योधन: O Duryodhana
• दुर्योधन: Sambodhana
• Type: Noun (Proper)
• Root: दुर्योधन
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

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

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Duryodhana
• Śalya (implied by context: 'this great chariot-warrior')
• battlefield (raṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames battlefield success as the outward test of inner discipline (tapas) and rightful warrior strength (kṣātra-bala). It highlights the kṣatriya ideal of proving one’s cultivated power through decisive action, while also revealing the moral pressure of war-counsel that urges killing a foremost opponent.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya addresses Duryodhana, urging him to demonstrate his ascetic-earned potency and warrior strength in the fight and to bring down a leading enemy chariot-warrior (contextually Śalya). The speech functions as exhortation and reassurance—‘I speak the truth; there is no doubt.’