Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 49

Gadāyuddhe Kṛṣṇopadeśaḥ (Kṛṣṇa’s Counsel in the Mace-Duel) — Śalya-parva 57

Devanagari script

आस्थाय कौशिकान्‌ मागनित्पतन्‌ स पुन: पुनः

Transliteration

āsthāya kauśikān māgān itpatān sa punaḥ punaḥ

Translation

சஞ்சயன் கூறினான்—கௌசிக ஆயுதங்களை ஏந்தி, முன்னே பாய்ந்து வந்த மாக வீரர்களை அவன் மீண்டும் மீண்டும் வீழ்த்தினான்.

Word by Word

• आस्थाय: having mounted/ascended; having taken (refuge/position)
• आस्थाय: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-स्था (धातु √स्था)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), कर्तरि

• कौशिकान्: the Kauśikas (people/warriors of the Kauśika lineage)
• कौशिकान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौशिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• मागन्: the Māgas (a people/tribe)
• मागन्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: माग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• निपतन्: falling down; rushing upon
• निपतन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-पत् (धातु √पत्)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), कर्तरि, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पुनः: again
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः

• पुनः: again (repeatedly)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Kauśika (weapons/arms)
• Māgas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the relentless momentum of battle and the repeated exertion of martial duty (kṣatriya-dharma), while implicitly reminding the listener that even skilled action in war carries ethical gravity.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that a warrior (referred to as ‘he’) takes up the Kauśika weapons and repeatedly strikes down the Māga fighters as they charge forward.