Shloka 81

Śalya-hatānantarāṇi: Madrarāja-padānugānāṃ praskandana and the Pandava counter-encirclement (शल्यहतानन्तराणि—मद्रराजपदानुगानां प्रस्कन्दनम्)

Devanagari script

ततो मुहूर्तात्‌ तेडपश्यन्‌ रजो भीम॑ समुत्थितम्‌

Transliteration

tato muhūrtāt te 'paśyan rajo bhīmaṃ samutthitam

Translation

ਫਿਰ ਥੋੜ੍ਹੀ ਦੇਰ ਬਾਅਦ ਉਹਨਾਂ ਨੇ ਭਿਆਨਕ ਧੂੜ ਦਾ ਬੱਦਲ ਉੱਠਦਾ ਵੇਖਿਆ।

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद्
• Form: Avyaya (ablatival adverb: 'from that/thereupon')

• मुहूर्तात्: after a moment
• मुहूर्तात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुहूर्त
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• ते: they
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• अपश्यन्: saw
• अपश्यन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Plural

• रजः: dust
• रजः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• भीमम्: terrible, dreadful
• भीमम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भीम
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• समुत्थितम्: risen, having arisen
• समुत्थितम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-उत्-स्था
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• dust-cloud (rajaḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores how war’s momentum manifests in ominous signs—here, a fearsome dust-cloud—reminding the listener that violence escalates beyond individual control and deepens the ethical gravity of the conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that, after a short time, those present observe a terrifying mass of dust rising, typically indicating rapid movement of troops, chariots, or a major engagement about to unfold.