Shloka 32

Śalya’s Objection to Sārathya and Duryodhana’s Conciliation (शल्यमन्यु-प्रशमनम् / Sārathyāṅgīkāra)

Devanagari script

तथैव सूतपुत्रेण प्रेषिता: परमाहवे । पाण्डुपुत्रमवच्छाद्य व्यतिष्ठन्ताम्बरे शरा:

Transliteration

tathaiva sūtaputreṇa preṣitāḥ paramāhave | pāṇḍuputram avacchādya vyatiṣṭhantāmbare śarāḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya nói: Cũng như thế, trong trận chiến tối thượng ấy, những mũi tên do người con của kẻ đánh xe (Karna) bắn ra đã phủ kín người con của Pāṇḍu (Nakula) và tưởng như giăng đầy khắp trời—dày đặc đến mức che khuất vị chiến binh.

Word by Word

• तथा: thus, in the same manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• एव: indeed, just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• सूतपुत्रेण: by the charioteer’s son (Karna)
• सूतपुत्रेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूतपुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• प्रेषिताः: sent, discharged
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रेषित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• परमाहवे: in the great battle
• परमाहवे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: परमाहव
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• पाण्डुपुत्रम्: the son of Pandu (Nakula)
• पाण्डुपुत्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डुपुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अवच्छाद्य: having covered, enveloping
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-छद्
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), Parasmaipada

• व्यतिष्ठन्त: stood, remained
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-स्था
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• अम्बरे: in the sky
• अम्बरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बर
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• शराः: arrows
• शराः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Karna (Sūtaputra)
• Nakula (Pāṇḍuputra)
• arrows (śarāḥ)
• sky (ambara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds the overwhelming force of martial skill in war: a dense volley can metaphorically ‘cover the sky’ and conceal an opponent. Ethically, it highlights how battle often becomes a contest of sheer intensity and capability, where restraint is eclipsed by the drive to overpower.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes Karṇa releasing a thick shower of arrows in the great battle. Those arrows cover the Pāṇḍava warrior (identified in context as Nakula), appearing to fill the sky as they surround and conceal him.