Mahabharata 9.19.12 — Shalya Parva, Adhyaya 19, Shloka 12

Śālva’s Elephant Assault and the Counterstroke (शाल्वस्य नागारूढाभ्यवहारः)

Devanagari script

तान्‌ प्रभग्नान्‌ द्रुतान्‌ दृष्टवा हतोत्साहान्‌ पराजितान्‌ | अभ्यवर्तन्त पज्चाला: पाण्डवाश्ष जयैषिण:

Transliteration

tān prabhagnān drutān dṛṣṭvā hatotsāhān parājitān | abhyavartanta pañcālāḥ pāṇḍavāś ca jayaiṣiṇaḥ ||

Translation

เมื่อเห็นพวกเขาแตกพ่าย หนีไปอย่างสิ้นกำลังใจและพ่ายแพ้แล้ว เหล่าปัญจาละและปาณฑพผู้มุ่งชัยชนะก็หันกลับเข้ากระหน่ำไล่ติดตามทันที

Word by Word

• तान्: them
• तान्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• प्रभग्नान्: broken, routed
• प्रभग्नान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रभग्न
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• द्रुतान्: running, fleeing swiftly
• द्रुतान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्रुत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund)

• हतोत्साहान्: whose spirit is crushed, dispirited
• हतोत्साहान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हत-उत्साह
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• पराजितान्: defeated
• पराजितान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पराजित
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अभ्यवर्तन्त: they pursued / they followed up
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-वृत्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• पाञ्चालाः: the Panchalas
• पाञ्चालाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाञ्चाल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• पाण्डवाः: the Pandavas
• पाण्डवाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• जयैषिणः: desiring victory
• जयैषिणः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जय-एषिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Pañcālas
• Pāṇḍavas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a practical battlefield truth tied to kṣatriya-dharma: when an army loses resolve and breaks formation, defeat accelerates. Ethical reflection lies in how inner strength (utsāha) sustains duty, while collapse of morale leads to rout and vulnerability.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that the opposing troops have been routed and are fleeing. Observing this, the Pañcālas and the Pāṇḍavas—eager to secure victory—advance and pursue the retreating forces.