Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 85

Chapter 23: Śakuni Reports, Kaurava Advance, and Arjuna’s Penetration of the Host

Devanagari script

मन्दीभूते तत: शब्दे पाण्डवानां महद्‌ बलम्‌ | अल्पावशिष्टैस्तुरगैरभ्यवर्तत सौबल:

Transliteration

mandībhūte tataḥ śabde pāṇḍavānāṃ mahad balam | alpāvaśiṣṭais turagair abhyavartata saubalaḥ ||

Translation

ਫਿਰ ਜਦੋਂ ਜੰਗ ਦਾ ਸ਼ੋਰ ਕੁਝ ਮੰਦ ਪਿਆ, ਤਾਂ ਸੁਬਲ ਦਾ ਪੁੱਤਰ ਸ਼ਕੁਨੀ ਆਪਣੇ ਕੋਲ ਬਚੇ ਥੋੜ੍ਹੇ ਜਿਹੇ ਘੁੜਸਵਾਰਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਪਾਂਡਵਾਂ ਦੀ ਵਿਸ਼ਾਲ ਸੈਨਾ ਉੱਤੇ ਮੁੜ ਟੁੱਟ ਪਿਆ।

Word by Word

• मन्दीभूते: when (it) had become faint/low
• मन्दीभूते: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन्दीभूत
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• ततः: then/thereupon
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• शब्दे: in the noise/sound
• शब्दे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शब्द
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• पाण्डवानाम्: of the Pāṇḍavas
• पाण्डवानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• महत्: great/huge
• महत्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• बलम्: army/force
• बलम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• अल्प-अवशिष्टैः: with few remaining
• अल्प-अवशिष्टैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अल्प + अवशिष्ट
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• तुरगैः: with horses
• तुरगैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुरग
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अभ्यवर्तत: attacked/charged upon
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + वृत्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), Third, Singular

• सौबलः: Saubala (Śakuni)
• सौबलः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौबल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Pāṇḍavas
• Śakuni (Saubala, son of Subala)
• turaga (horses/cavalry)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how, in war, hostility can re-ignite even after a lull; persistence in violence may arise from stubborn resolve and dwindling resources, inviting reflection on the ethical cost of continuing conflict when the situation has already turned grim.

What is happening in the narrative?

As the battlefield noise lessens, Śakuni (Subala’s son) gathers the few remaining cavalry and launches another assault against the large Pāṇḍava force, as reported by Sañjaya.