Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 183

Śalya Installed as Commander; Coalition Agreement and Battle Arrays (शल्यसेनापत्यारोहणं व्यूहवर्णनं च)

Devanagari script

प्रतीकारपरा भूत्वा चेष्टन्तां विविधा: क्रिया: । आज कुन्तीके सभी पुत्र तथा चारणोंसहित सिद्धगण भी युद्धमें मेरी फुर्ती

Transliteration

pratīkāraparā bhūtvā ceṣṭantāṁ vividhāḥ kriyāḥ | adya kuntīke sarve putrāś cāraṇaiḥ saha siddhagaṇā api yuddhe mama phurtim astrabalaṁ ca bāhubalaṁ ca paśyantu | mama ubhayor bhujayoḥ yathā balaṁ yathā ca me astrajñānaṁ tathā adya mama parākramaṁ dṛṣṭvā pāṇḍavā mahārathāḥ tasya pratīkāre tatparā nānāprakārāṇi kāryāṇi kartuṁ saceṣṭā bhavantu ||

Translation

Ipinahayag ni Śalya: “Hayaang maghanda ang mga kampeon ng Pāṇḍava ng bawat uri ng panlaban. Ngayon, sa gitna ng digmaan, masaksihan nawa ng mga anak ni Kuntī—kasama ang mga Cāraṇa at maging ang mga Siddha—ang aking bilis, ang lakas ng aking mga sandata, at ang tibay ng aking mga bisig. Ayon sa lakas ng aking dalawang braso at sa aking ganap na kaalaman sa sandata, makita nawa ngayon ang aking kabayanihan, upang ang mga dakilang mandirigmang-karwahe ng Pāṇḍava, na handang sumalungat, ay mapilitang magpakaigting at gumamit ng sari-saring paraan.”

Word by Word

• प्रतीकारपरा: intent on counter-action/defence
• प्रतीकारपरा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रतीकार-पर
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• भूत्वा: having become
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund)

• चेष्टन्ताम्: let them strive/act
• Type: Verb
• Root: चेष्ट्
• Form: लोट् (imperative/benedictive sense), 3rd, Plural, Ātmanepada

• विविधाः: various
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• क्रियाः: actions/efforts
• क्रियाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रिया
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

शल्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• शल्य (Shalya)
• कुन्ती (Kunti)
• पाण्डवाः (Pandavas)
• चारणाः (Charanas)
• सिद्धगणाः (Siddha hosts)
• अस्त्र (weapons/missiles)
• युद्ध (battle)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the kshatriya ideal of disciplined readiness: true prowess invites an equally alert counter-response. Martial excellence is portrayed as accountable before witnesses—human and celestial—so effort, skill, and strategic preparedness become ethical duties within the war-code.

What is happening in the narrative?

Shalya proclaims that his speed, weapon-power, and arm-strength will be displayed in battle for all to see, including celestial observers. He challenges the Pandava great warriors to prepare diverse countermeasures and exert themselves fully to meet his onslaught.