Mahabharata 9.7.48 — Shalya Parva, Adhyaya 7, Shloka 48

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

Devanagari script

इति सत्य ब्रवीम्येष दुर्योधन न संशय: । “मैं रणभूमिमें कुन्तीके सभी पुत्रों और सामने आये हुए सोमकोंपर भी विजय प्राप्त कर लूँगा। इसमें भी संदेह नहीं कि मैं तुम्हारा सेनापति होऊँगा और ऐसे व्यूहका निर्माण करूँगा

Transliteration

iti satyaṃ bravīmy eṣa duryodhana na saṃśayaḥ |

Translation

Wika ni Sañjaya: “Kaya sinasabi ko ang katotohanan, O Duryodhana—walang pag-aalinlangan.”

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• सत्यं: truth
• सत्यं: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• ब्रवीमि: I speak / I say
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Present (Lat), First, Singular, Parasmaipada

• एषः: this (statement/thing)
• एषः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दुर्योधन: O Duryodhana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्योधन
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Duryodhana

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how a speaker frames his assertion as ‘truth’ and removes doubt, revealing the moral complexity of wartime rhetoric: confidence and strategic intent can be presented as सत्य (truth), even when driven by pride or desire for domination—inviting reflection on what constitutes truthful speech aligned with dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports a declaration addressed to Duryodhana, concluding with a firm assurance—‘I speak the truth; there is no doubt.’ The broader passage (as reflected in the accompanying Hindi) conveys a pledge of victory over Kuntī’s sons and the Sṛñjayas, acceptance of the role of commander, and the promise to construct an unbreachable battle-array.