Shloka 65

शल्यस्य पाण्डवसेनापीडनम् — Śalya’s Assault on the Pāṇḍava Host

with Omens and Bhīma’s Counter

Devanagari script

आपूर्यमाणा निशितै: शरै: पाण्डवचोदितै: । हतप्रवीरा विध्वस्ता वार्यमाणा समन्तत:

Transliteration

āpūryamāṇā niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ pāṇḍava-coditaiḥ | hata-pravīrā vidhvastā vāryamāṇā samantataḥ ||

Translation

Санджая сказал: «Теснимое пандавами, то войско наполнялось — пронзалось насквозь — острыми стрелами. Его передовые герои пали; ряды рассыпались; и хотя оно пыталось удержаться со всех сторон, его оттеснили и сломили.»

Word by Word

आपूर्यमाणाःbeing filled/covered

निशितैःwith sharp

शरैःby arrows

पाण्डवचोदितैःimpelled/shot by the Pāṇḍavas

हतप्रवीराःwhose foremost heroes were slain

विध्वस्ताःshattered, routed

वार्यमाणाःbeing checked/held back

समन्ततःon all sides

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Pāṇḍavas

arrows (śara)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the fragility of martial power: when leadership (pravīra) falls and cohesion breaks, even a vast force collapses. Ethically, it reflects the Mahābhārata’s recurring warning that adharma-driven conflict culminates in ruin, while disciplined resolve and coordinated effort determine outcomes in war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the opposing army is being overwhelmed by sharp arrows launched under the Pāṇḍavas’ impetus. Its leading warriors are killed, formations are shattered, and despite attempts to resist from all sides, it is being driven into disarray.