Shloka 19

Śalya-parva Adhyāya 26 — Duryodhana’s remnant formation and rapid engagements

Devanagari script

तौ शिलीमुखविद्धाजडौ पेततू रथसत्तमौ | ततः पतन्‍न्तं समरे अभिवीक्ष्य सुतं तव

Transliteration

tau śilīmukhaviddhājaḍau petatu rathasattamau | tataḥ patantaṃ samare abhivīkṣya sutaṃ tava bhīmaseno bhallena jaghāna durviṣaham ||

Translation

سنجے نے کہا—شِلی مُکھ تیروں سے جسم کے ہر حصے میں چھِد جانے کے باعث وہ دونوں رتھوں کے سردار میدانِ جنگ میں گر پڑے۔ پھر لڑائی میں تمہارے بیٹے دُروِشَہ کو بڑھتے دیکھ کر بھیم سین نے ایک بھلّ تیر سے اسے مار گرایا؛ اور تمام کمان داروں کی نگاہوں کے سامنے دُروِشَہ رتھ سے نیچے زمین پر آ گرا۔

Word by Word

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• शिलीमुख-विद्ध-अजडौ: whose bodies were pierced by sharp arrows
• शिलीमुख-विद्ध-अजडौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिलीमुखविद्धाजड
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• पेततुः: fell
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Dual

• रथ-सत्तमौ: the two best of chariot-warriors
• रथ-सत्तमौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथसत्तम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• ततः: then/thereupon
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• पतन्तम्: falling
• पतन्तम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular, Present active participle (śatṛ)

• समरे: in battle
• समरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: समर
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• अभिवीक्ष्य: having looked at/seeing
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-ईक्ष्
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ktvā/lyap)

• सुतम्: son
• सुतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तव: your
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by 'tava')
• Bhīmasena (Bhīma)
• Durviṣaha
• ratha (chariot)
• śilīmukha (arrow)
• bhalla (broad-headed arrow)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the inexorable consequences of war and the kṣatriya code: valor and aggression lead to immediate, visible outcomes on the battlefield. It also highlights the moral weight of choices—those who press forward into violence must face the same violence in return.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that two great chariot-warriors fall after being pierced by arrows. Immediately after, Durviṣaha advances; Bhīma strikes him with a bhalla (broad-headed arrow), and Durviṣaha falls from his chariot in full view of the assembled archers.