Shloka 11

Devanagari script

रथनागाश्वकलिलां पुरस्कृत्य तु वाहिनीम्‌ । मद्राणामी श्वर: शल्यो वीक्षमाणो5पयाद्‌ भयात्‌,मद्रराज शल्य भी रथ, हाथी और घोड़ोंसे भरी हुई अपनी सेनाको आगे करके भयके मारे इधर-उधर देखते हुए भागने लगे

Transliteration

rathanāgāśvakalilāṃ puraskṛtya tu vāhinīm | madrāṇām īśvaraḥ śalyo vīkṣamāṇo 'payād bhayāt ||

Translation

రథాలు, ఏనుగులు, గుర్రాలతో నిండిన తన సేనను ముందుంచి, మద్రులాధిపతి శల్యుడు భయంతో అన్ని దిక్కులా చూస్తూ అక్కడి నుంచి వెనుదిరిగాడు।

Word by Word

रथchariot(s)

नागelephant(s)

अश्वhorse(s)

कलिलाम्crowded/filled

पुरस्कृत्यhaving placed in front

तुbut/indeed

वाहिनीम्army

मद्राणाम्of the Madras

ईश्वरःlord/king

शल्यःShalya

वीक्षमाणःlooking (around)

अपयात्went away/fled

भयात्from fear/out of fear

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Śalya

Madra (Madrāḥ)

vāhinī (army)

ratha (chariots)

nāga (elephants)

aśva (horses)

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 highlights the ethical tension in warfare: a ruler is expected to show steadiness and protect his forces, yet fear can overwhelm even the mighty. It implicitly contrasts kṣatriya resolve with human vulnerability, showing how panic can lead to retreat and disordered leadership.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Śalya, king of the Madras, puts his troop formation—packed with chariots, elephants, and horses—forward and then withdraws, looking around anxiously, fleeing due to fear amid the battle conditions.