Mahabharata 9.21.1 — Shalya Parva, Adhyaya 21, Shloka 1

Adhyāya 21 — Duryodhanasya bāṇavarṣaḥ

Duryodhana’s Arrow-Storm and the Dust-Obscured Engagements

Devanagari script

इस प्रकार श्रीमह्याभारत शल्यपर्वमें शास्रका वधविषयक बीसवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ ॥/ २० ॥ एकविशोड< ध्याय: सात्यविद्दारा क्षेमधूर्तिका वध

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | tasmiṃstu nihate śūre śālve samitiśobhane | tava abha jyad balaṃ vegād vāteneva mahādrumaḥ ||

Translation

Disse Sañjaya: Ó rei, quando o heroico Śālva—que dava esplendor ao campo de batalha—foi morto, a determinação do teu exército se quebrou e ele cambaleou em pânico repentino, como uma grande árvore arrancada por uma rajada violenta de vento.

Word by Word

• संजयः: Sanjaya
• संजयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: संजय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• तस्मिन्: in/when that (one)
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• निहते: when (he) was slain
• निहते: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि-हन्
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular, kta (past passive participle)

• शूरे: in the hero
• शूरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूर
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• शाल्वे: in/when Shalva
• शाल्वे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाल्व
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• समितिशोभने: glorious in battle
• समितिशोभने: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समिति-शोभन
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• तव: your
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular, 2nd

• अभज्यत्: broke/was shattered
• Type: Verb
• Root: भज्
• Form: Imperfect, 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada

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

• वेगात्: from/through force (impetus)
• वेगात्: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेग
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• वातेन: by the wind
• वातेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वात
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• इव: like/as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• महाद्रुमः: a great tree
• महाद्रुमः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-द्रुम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by 'O King/your')
• Śālva
• Kaurava army

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical and practical reality that armies depend on cohesion and morale; when a renowned champion falls, collective confidence can collapse instantly. It implicitly warns rulers that power is fragile if it rests on a few pillars rather than steady discipline and righteous resolve.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that after the warrior Śālva is killed, the Kaurava forces lose their footing and begin to break apart, compared to a mighty tree uprooted by a strong wind.