Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 63

शल्यवधे कौरवसेनाभङ्गः, भीमस्य गदायुद्धं, दुर्योधनस्य समाह्वानम्

Rout after Śalya’s fall; Bhīma’s mace engagement; Duryodhana’s rally

Devanagari script

पूरयन्‌ रथघोषेण दिश: सर्वा महारथ: । शल्य मारे गये और मद्रराजका प्रिय करनेमें लगे हुए मद्रदेशीय महारथियोंने धर्मपुत्र युधिष्ठिरको पीड़ित कर रखा है; यह सुनकर कुन्तीपुत्र महारथी अर्जुन गाण्डीव धनुषकी टंकार करते और रथके गम्भीर घोषसे सम्पूर्ण दिशाओंको परिपूर्ण करते हुए वहाँ आ पहुँचे

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | pūrayan rathaghoṣeṇa diśaḥ sarvā mahārathaḥ | śalya māre gate ca madrarājasya priyaṃ kartum udyataiḥ madradeśīyaiḥ mahārathibhiḥ dharmaputraḥ yudhiṣṭhiraḥ pīḍitaḥ | etac chrutvā kuntīputro mahāratho 'rjunaḥ gāṇḍīva-dhanuṣaḥ ṭaṅkāraṃ kurvan rathasya gambhīra-ghoṣeṇa ca samantād diśaḥ paripūrayan tatra upāgamat ||

Translation

Disse Sañjaya: Arjuna, o grande guerreiro, chegou ali, enchendo todas as direções com o trovão de seu carro. Pois, após a queda de Śalya, os poderosos combatentes de Madra—ansiosos por agradar ao seu rei—vinham oprimindo duramente Dharmaputra Yudhiṣṭhira. Ao ouvir dessa aflição, Arjuna, filho de Kuntī, fez soar o Gāṇḍīva e, com o bramido profundo de seu carro ressoando por todos os quadrantes, apressou-se ao local.

Word by Word

• पूरयन्: filling
• पूरयन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूरयत् (√पूर्/√पॄ + णिच्)
• Form: वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), परस्मैपदी-प्रयोग (कर्तरि), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• रथघोषेण: with the roar/sound of the chariot
• रथघोषेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथघोष
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• दिशः: the directions
• दिशः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश्
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• सर्वाः: all
• सर्वाः: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• महारथः: the great chariot-warrior
• महारथः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Arjuna
• Yudhishthira (Dharmaputra)
• Shalya
• Madra
• King of Madra (Madraraja)
• Gandiva (bow)
• Chariot

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The passage highlights kshatriya-dharma expressed as protective responsibility: when the righteous leader (Yudhishthira) is oppressed, Arjuna responds swiftly, using his strength not for vanity but to uphold dharma and safeguard his kin and cause.

What is happening in the narrative?

After Shalya’s fall, Madra warriors intensify their assault on Yudhishthira to please their king. On hearing this, Arjuna rushes to the battlefield scene, announcing his arrival with the twang of the Gandiva and the booming sound of his chariot that fills all directions.