Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 16

अध्याय २२ — अमर्याद-युद्धवर्णन

Unrestrained Battle Description and Śakuni’s Rear Assault

Devanagari script

लाघवं सौष्ठवं चापि वीर्य चापि महात्मन:

Transliteration

lāghavaṁ sauṣṭhavaṁ cāpi vīryaṁ cāpi mahātmanaḥ

Translation

Sinabi ni Sañjaya: “(Ipinamalas niya) ang liksi, ang pinong kahusayan, at ang lakas na makabayaning taglay ng dakilang kaluluwang iyon.”

Word by Word

• लाघवम्: lightness, agility
• लाघवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: लाघव
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सौष्ठवम्: excellence, skill, perfection
• सौष्ठवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौष्ठव
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अपि: also, even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• वीर्यम्: valor, strength, prowess
• वीर्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अपि: also, even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• महात्मनः: of the great-souled one
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• mahātmā (unnamed great-souled hero)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights ideal warrior qualities—agility (lāghava), refined skill (sauṣṭhava), and valor (vīrya)—suggesting that true excellence in battle is not mere force but disciplined, well-directed capability.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya is reporting to Dhṛtarāṣṭra, praising the performance of a great warrior by enumerating the qualities visible in his actions—swift movement, polished mastery, and heroic strength—within the ongoing battle narrative of the Śalya Parva.