Mahabharata 9.17.74 — Shalya Parva, Adhyaya 17, Shloka 74

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

Devanagari script

सात्यकिं दशभिर्विद्ध्वा हयांश्षास्य त्रिभि: शरै:

Transliteration

sātyakiṃ daśabhir viddhvā hayāṃś cāsya tribhiḥ śaraiḥ

Translation

ครั้นแทงสาตยกีด้วยศรสิบดอกแล้ว เขายังยิงม้าของเขาด้วยศรสามดอก

Word by Word

• सात्यकिम्: Sātyaki (as object)
• सात्यकिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सात्यकि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• दशभिः: with ten
• दशभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशन्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• विद्ध्वा: having pierced/struck
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्यध्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• हयान्: horses
• हयान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: हय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• शास्य: intending to strike/attack (about to smite)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शास्
• Form: ल्यप्/यत्-प्रत्यय (future/gerundive-like form in -स्य), Parasmaipada (usage), Future sense (intended/going to)

• त्रिभिः: with three
• त्रिभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

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

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Sātyaki
• horses
• arrows

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the harsh strategic logic of war: victory is pursued not only by confronting the warrior but also by disabling his means of movement. It implicitly raises ethical tension within kṣatriya-dharma—skill and strategy are praised, yet the suffering inflicted is stark.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates a battlefield moment where Sātyaki is wounded by ten arrows, and his horses are additionally struck by three arrows, aiming to slow or immobilize his chariot and gain tactical control.