Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 4

शल्यवधे कौरवसेनाभङ्गः, भीमस्य गदायुद्धं, दुर्योधनस्य समाह्वानम्

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

Devanagari script

युधिष्ठिरं जिघांसन्त: पाण्डूनां प्राविशन्‌ बलम्‌ । संजय कहते हैं--राजन! मद्रराज शल्यके मारे जानेपर उनके अनुगामी सात सौ वीर रथी विशाल कौरव-सेनासे निकल पड़े। उस समय दुर्योधन पर्वताकार हाथीपर आरूढ़ हो सिरपर छत्र धारण किये चामरोंसे वीजित होता हुआ वहाँ आया और “न जाओ

Transliteration

yudhiṣṭhiraṃ jighāṃsantaḥ pāṇḍūnāṃ prāviśan balam | te tu śūrā mahārāja kṛtacittāś ca yodhane ||

Translation

Санджая сказал: «О царь, желая убить Юдхиштхиру, они силой ворвались в войско Пандавов. Те герои, о великий государь, твёрдо устремив ум к битве, продолжали наступать — движимые верностью павшему вождю и мрачной инерцией войны, даже когда их призывали к удержанию.»

Word by Word

• युधिष्ठिरम्: Yudhiṣṭhira (as object)
• युधिष्ठिरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• जिघांसन्तः: wishing to kill
• जिघांसन्तः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: Present active participle (Parasmaipada), desiderative, Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• पाण्डूनाम्: of the Pāṇḍus / of the Pāṇḍavas
• पाण्डूनाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डु
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• प्राविशन्: entered
• प्राविशन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + विश्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• बलम्: army, force
• बलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• ते: they
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तु: but, however
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• शूराः: heroes, brave men
• शूराः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

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

• कृतचित्ताः: resolved, determined (having made up their minds)
• कृतचित्ताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृतचित्त
• Form: Past passive participle used adjectivally (कृत) + noun (चित्त), Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• योधने: in battle
• योधने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: योधन
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Pāṇḍavas
• Pāṇḍava army

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how fixed resolve in war—especially when fueled by vengeance and group-loyalty—can override counsel and restraint. It implicitly warns that determination without dharmic discernment becomes a force that drives violence forward even after a leader’s fall.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that certain warriors, intent on killing Yudhiṣṭhira, surge into the Pāṇḍava ranks. The emphasis is on their single-minded battle-readiness and their aggressive entry into the opposing army.