Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 843

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

Devanagari script

अथान्यं रथमास्थाय हार्दिक्यो5पि न्यवर्तत । जैसे मरणधर्मा मनुष्य पास आयी हुई अपनी मौतको नहीं टाल सकते

Transliteration

athānyaṃ ratham āsthāya hārdikyo 'pi nyavartata | yathā maraṇadharmā manuṣyāḥ samīpāgatāṃ svāṃ mṛtyuṃ na nivārayituṃ śaknuvanti, tathā te śatrupakṣasya sainikā duryodhanaṃ laṅghayitvā agre na śekuḥ | asminn eva kāle kṛtavarmā 'pi dvitīyena rathena ārūḍhaḥ punaḥ tatraiva nyavartata |

Translation

Sinabi ni Sañjaya: Pagkaraan, si Hārdikya (Kṛtavarmā), na sumakay sa isa pang karwaheng pandigma, ay muling bumalik. Kung paanong ang taong may kapalarang mamatay ay hindi maiiwas ang kamatayang lumalapit na, gayon din ang mga mandirigma ng kabilang hukbo: hindi nila malundagan si Duryodhana upang sumulong pa lampas sa kanya. Sa sandaling iyon, si Kṛtavarmā man, matapos sumakay sa ikalawang karwahe, ay nagbalik muli sa gayunding pook.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• अन्यम्: another
• अन्यम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• रथम्: chariot
• रथम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आस्थाय: having mounted / having taken (to)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-स्था
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund)

• हार्दिक्यः: Hārdikya (Kṛtavarman)
• हार्दिक्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: हार्दिक्य (कृतवर्मन्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अपि: also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• न्यवर्तत: turned back / returned
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-√वृत्
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), Past, Third, Singular, Ātmanepada

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Hārdikya (Kṛtavarmā)
• Duryodhana
• chariot

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the inevitability of fate and mortality: just as humans cannot ward off death when it draws near, so in battle the opposing soldiers find themselves unable to push past a decisive obstacle—here, Duryodhana’s stand—suggesting limits imposed by circumstance, destiny, and the moral weight of the moment.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Kṛtavarmā (Hārdikya) remounts another chariot and returns to the battlefield position. Meanwhile, the enemy soldiers cannot break through beyond Duryodhana; they fail to advance past him, and Kṛtavarmā’s return coincides with this stalemate.