Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 9

Adhyāya 14: Śalya’s Missile-Pressure and the Pāṇḍava Convergence (शल्यस्य शरवर्षम्)

Devanagari script

स रथ: सर्वतो भाति चित्रपुड्खै: शितै: शरै:

Transliteration

sa rathaḥ sarvato bhāti citrapuḍkhaiḥ śitaiḥ śaraiḥ

Translation

สัญชัยรายงานว่า: รถศึกนั้นส่องประกายรอบด้าน เพราะศรคมที่มีขนท้ายหลากสีปักแน่นอยู่ทั่วทุกทิศ ภาพนี้ชี้ว่าในความเดือดดาลแห่งสงคราม แม้เครื่องศึกก็อาจดูเจิดจ้าได้ ทั้งที่แบกรอยแผลแห่งความรุนแรงไว้เต็มกาย

Word by Word

• सः: he/that (man)
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• रथः: chariot
• रथः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सर्वतः: on all sides, everywhere
• सर्वतः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वतः

• भाति: shines, appears radiant
• Type: Verb
• Root: भा
• Form: Present (Lat), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• चित्रपुड्खैः: with variegated-feathered (ones)
• चित्रपुड्खैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चित्रपुड्ख
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• शितैः: with sharp (ones)
• शितैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शित
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• शरैः: with arrows
• शरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• ratha (chariot)
• śara (arrows)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the paradox of war: the chariot’s ‘radiance’ comes from being covered with sharp arrows. It invites reflection on how martial glory and visual splendor can mask suffering and destruction, reminding the listener to distinguish true dharma from mere spectacle.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a chariot in the midst of combat. It appears bright from every direction because numerous sharp, color-fletched arrows are lodged in it, indicating intense missile exchange and the ferocity of the ongoing fight.