Mahabharata 9.11.36 — Shalya Parva, Adhyaya 11, Shloka 36

Śalya–Bhīma Gadā-saṃnipāta and Śalya’s Bāṇa-jāla against Yudhiṣṭhira

Book 9, Chapter 11

Devanagari script

समागम्याथ शनकैर श्वत्थामा महाबल: । तव पुत्राश्च कार्त्स्न्येन जुगुपु: शल्यमाहवे

Transliteration

samāgamya atha śanakair aśvatthāmā mahābalaḥ | tava putrāś ca kārtsnyena jugupuḥ śalyam āhave ||

Translation

Sañjaya disse: Então o poderosíssimo Aśvatthāmā, aproximando-se aos poucos, e todos os teus filhos em conjunto, protegeram Śalya na batalha. Vendo Śalya cercado por todos os lados pelos filhos de Kuntī, Kṛtavarmā e Kṛpācārya, inflamados de ira, correram contra eles; e com eles vieram o valente Ulūka e Śakuni, filho de Subala, para defender Śalya em meio à tempestade de flechas. O trecho ressalta como a lealdade ao comandante e o dever de facção intensificam a violência, pois as escolhas dos guerreiros são movidas pela cólera e pela aliança, não pela contenção.

Word by Word

• समागम्य: having come together / having approached
• समागम्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-गम् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप् (क्त्वान्त/absolutive), कर्तरि, अव्यय (no person/number)

• अथ: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ
• Form: true

• शनकैः: slowly, gradually
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शनकैस् (अव्यय)
• Form: true

• अश्वत्थामा: Ashvatthama
• अश्वत्थामा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वत्थामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महाबलः: mighty-strong (one)
• महाबलः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाबल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तव: of you / your
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

• पुत्राः: sons
• पुत्राः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: true

• कार्त्स्न्येन: entirely, wholly (lit. by entirety)
• कार्त्स्न्येन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्त्स्न्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• जुगुपुः: they protected / guarded
• Type: Verb
• Root: गुप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), परस्मैपद, Third, Plural

• शल्यम्: Shalya
• शल्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आहवे: in battle
• आहवे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आहव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• महाराज: O great king
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Aśvatthāmā
• Śalya
• Kuntī
• Kuntī’s sons (Pāṇḍavas)
• Kṛtavarmā
• Kṛpācārya (Kṛpa)
• Ulūka
• Śakuni
• Subala

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how battlefield dharma often manifests as loyalty and protection of one’s leader, yet it also shows the ethical danger of anger-driven action: wrath and factional allegiance can eclipse restraint, escalating violence even when the broader moral order is already collapsing.

What is happening in the narrative?

As the Pāṇḍavas press in and surround Śalya, the Kaurava side responds by gathering defenders: Aśvatthāmā and all of Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s sons come up gradually to guard Śalya, while Kṛtavarmā and Kṛpa, enraged, rush toward the attackers, joined by Ulūka and Śakuni.