Shloka 14

Book 9 (Śalya-parva), Adhyāya 13 — Arjuna’s Arrow-storm and the Drauṇi Confrontation

Devanagari script

सुस्त्राव रुधिरं गात्रैगैरिकं पर्वतो यथा । महाराज! उन महारथियोंद्वारा अत्यन्त घायल कर दिये जानेपर राजा शल्य अपने अंगोंसे रक्तकी धारा बहाने लगे, मानो पर्वत गेरु-मिश्रित जलका झरना बहा रहा हो ।। १३ * तांश्व॒ सर्वान्‌ महेष्वासान्‌ पञ्चभि: पञ्चभि: शरै:

Transliteration

su-strāva rudhiraṃ gātrair gaerikaṃ parvato yathā | mahārāja! un mahārathībhir atyantaṃ ghālayitvā rājā śalyaḥ svāṅgair rudhira-dhārāḥ prasrāvayām āsa, yathā parvataḥ gaerika-miśrita-jalaṃ jharam iva muñcati ||

Translation

مہاراج! اُن مہارَتھیوں نے جب شلیہ راجہ کو سخت زخمی کر دیا تو اُس کے اعضا سے خون کی دھاریں بہنے لگیں—گویا پہاڑ گَیرو (سرخ مٹی) سے رنگا ہوا پانی آبشار کی طرح بہا رہا ہو۔

Word by Word

• सुस्त्राव: flowed forth, streamed
• सुस्त्राव: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्रु (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/परफेक्ट), 3, singular, परस्मैपद

• रुधिरम्: blood
• रुधिरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुधिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• गात्रेभ्यः: from the limbs
• गात्रेभ्यः: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: neuter, ablative, plural

• गैरिकम्: reddish/ochre-colored
• गैरिकम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गैरिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• पर्वतः: a mountain
• पर्वतः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• यथा: as, like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)

• तान्: those (them)
• तान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, accusative, plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, accusative, plural

• महेष्वासान्: great bowmen
• महेष्वासान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेष्वास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, accusative, plural

• पञ्चभिः: with five
• पञ्चभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine/neuter, instrumental, plural

• पञ्चभिः: with five (each)
• पञ्चभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine/neuter, instrumental, plural

• शरैः: by arrows
• शरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, instrumental, plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by 'mahārāja')
• Śalya
• mahārathins (mighty chariot-warriors)
• mountain
• red ochre (gairika)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the stark reality of war: even the greatest warriors and kings are subject to pain and bodily ruin. The ethical undertone is a sobering reminder that martial glory is inseparable from suffering and loss, urging reflection on the human cost behind kṣatriya valor.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that King Śalya has been severely wounded by powerful chariot-warriors. Blood streams from Śalya’s limbs, compared poetically to a mountain sending down a reddish, ochre-tinted cascade.