Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 41

Nakula’s Engagement with Citra-sena and Karṇa’s Sons; Śalya Re-stabilizes the Kaurava Host

Devanagari script

माद्रीपुत्रौ तु रभसौ कृतास्त्रौ युद्धदुर्मदौ । अभ्ययातां त्वरायुक्तौ जिगीषन्तौ परंतप

Transliteration

mādrīputrau tu rabhasau kṛtāstrau yuddha-durmadau | abhyayātāṁ tvarāyuktau jigīṣantau paraṁtapa ||

Translation

سنجے نے کہا—اے دشمنوں کو تپانے والے راجن! مادری کے دونوں بیٹے، نکُل اور سہ دیو، جو نہایت جوشیلا، اسلحہ و استر-ودیا میں ماہر اور جنگی جوش سے سرشار تھے، فتح کی آرزو لیے بڑی عجلت کے ساتھ لپکے اور راجا شلیہ پر ٹوٹ پڑے۔

Word by Word

• माद्रीपुत्रौ: the two sons of Madri (Nakula and Sahadeva)
• माद्रीपुत्रौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: माद्रीपुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• रभसौ: impetuous, vehement
• रभसौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रभस
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• कृतास्त्रौ: trained in weapons; accomplished in arms
• कृतास्त्रौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृतास्त्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• युद्धदुर्मदौ: fierce/proud in battle; battle-maddened
• युद्धदुर्मदौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युद्धदुर्मद
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• अभ्ययाताम्: they advanced/attacked
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-या
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Dual, Parasmaipada

• त्वरायुक्तौ: endowed with haste; in great hurry
• त्वरायुक्तौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्वरायुक्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• जिगीषन्तौ: wishing to conquer
• जिगीषन्तौ: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: जि (धातु) + गीषन् (इच्छार्थक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual, शतृ (present active participle), Desiderative (सन्नन्त) sense: wishing to conquer

• परंतप: O scorcher of foes (epithet)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परंतप
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Mādrī
• Nakula
• Sahadeva
• King Śalya

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores how martial skill and the desire for victory can intensify into battle-fervor, yet the Mahābhārata frames such energy within the larger moral burden of dharma—especially when relatives and allies are forced into opposing sides.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Nakula and Sahadeva, the twin sons of Mādrī, swiftly advance and charge King Śalya, driven by eagerness to win and confident in their weapon-training.