Shloka 12

Śalya-hatānantarāṇi: Madrarāja-padānugānāṃ praskandana and the Pandava counter-encirclement (शल्यहतानन्तराणि—मद्रराजपदानुगानां प्रस्कन्दनम्)

Devanagari script

ततो द्रुतं मद्रजनाधिपो रणे युधिष्ठिरं सप्तभिरभ्यविद्धयत्‌ । त॑ चापि पार्थो नवभि: पृषत्कै- विंव्याध राजंस्तुमुले महात्मा

Transliteration

tato drutaṁ madrarājādhipo raṇe yudhiṣṭhiraṁ saptabhir abhyaviddhayat | taṁ cāpi pārtho navabhiḥ pṛṣatkaiḥ vivyādha rājaṁs tumule mahātmā ||

Translation

అనంతరం మద్రజనాధిపతి రణంలో వెంటనే ఏడు బాణాలతో యుధిష్ఠిరుని బీదెను. రాజా, ఆ ఘోర సంగ్రామంలో మహాత్ముడైన యుధిష్ఠిరుడు కూడా తొమ్మిది బాణాలతో శల్యుని గాయపరచెను.

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereupon
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः
• Form: Avyaya (ablatival adverb: 'from that/thereupon')

• द्रुतम्: quickly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: द्रुत
• Form: Avyaya (adverb)

• मद्रजनाधिपः: the lord of the Madra people (Shalya)
• मद्रजनाधिपः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मद्र-जन-अधिप
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण
• Form: Masculine, locative, singular

• युधिष्ठिरम्: Yudhishthira
• युधिष्ठिरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, accusative, singular

• सप्तभिः: with seven (arrows)
• सप्तभिः: Karana
• Type: Numeral/Adjective
• Root: सप्त
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, instrumental, plural (elliptic with 'बाणैः')

• अभ्यविद्धयत्: pierced/struck
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्यध् (विध्/व्यध्) with अभि-
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), parasmaipada, 3rd person, singular

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, accusative, singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: Avyaya (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि
• Form: Avyaya

• पार्थः: the son of Pritha (Arjuna)
• पार्थः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

• नवभिः: with nine (arrows)
• नवभिः: Karana
• Type: Numeral/Adjective
• Root: नव
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, instrumental, plural (elliptic with 'बाणैः')

• पृषत्कैः: with arrows
• पृषत्कैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृषत्क
• Form: Masculine, instrumental, plural

• विव्याध: pierced/wounded
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्यध् (विध्/व्यध्)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), parasmaipada, 3rd person, singular

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, vocative, singular

• तुमुले: in the tumultuous (battle)
• तुमुले: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुमुल
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, locative, singular (agreeing with 'रणे/युद्धे' understood)

• महात्मा: the great-souled one
• महात्मा: Karta
• Type: Adjective (used substantively)
• Root: महात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Śalya (king of Madra)
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• battlefield (raṇa)
• arrows (pṛṣatka)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores kṣatriya-dharma in wartime: even a righteous king like Yudhiṣṭhira must respond decisively to aggression. Ethical restraint does not mean passivity in a justly undertaken battle; duty requires measured but effective action.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Śalya, the Madra ruler, quickly strikes Yudhiṣṭhira with seven arrows; Yudhiṣṭhira immediately retaliates, wounding Śalya with nine arrows amid the fierce clash.