Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 826

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

Devanagari script

जवेनापतत: पार्थनिक: सर्वानवारयत्‌ | उस समय दुर्योधनने यह देखकर कि मेरी सेना मेरे पाससे भाग गयी है, वेगसे आक्रमण करनेवाले समस्त पाण्डवयोद्धाओंको अकेले ही रोका

Transliteration

javena āpatataḥ pārthanikaḥ sarvān avārayat |

Translation

สัญชัยกล่าวว่า—เขาเข้าขวางไว้ทั้งหมดต่อเหล่านักรบฝ่ายปารถะที่พุ่งเข้ามาด้วยความเร็ว ครานั้นทุรโยธน์เห็นว่ากองทัพของข้าหนีไปจากข้างกายเขาแล้ว จึงยืนเดี่ยวสกัดกั้นนักรบปาณฑพทั้งมวลที่โถมเข้ามาอย่างรวดเร็ว

Word by Word

• जवेन: with speed
• जवेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: जव
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• अपततः: rushing/attacking
• अपततः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पार्थनिकः: Duryodhana (son of Dhritarashtra; here as the subject)
• पार्थनिकः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थनिक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अवारयत्: checked/stopped/held back
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (वारयति)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), Parasmaipada, Third, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Duryodhana
• Pāṇḍava warriors (Pāṇḍavāḥ)
• Kaurava army (my army, implied)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The passage contrasts individual valor with collective moral and strategic failure: even when a leader shows personal courage, an army that loses cohesion and resolve collapses. It highlights the ethical tension in war—heroism can coexist with a cause already undermined by adharma and fear.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that as the Pāṇḍava fighters rush forward, they are checked. Duryodhana, noticing his forces have fled from his vicinity, advances with speed and alone attempts to stop the charging Pāṇḍava warriors, trying to stabilize the battle line.