Shloka 22

त्रिपुरदाह-इतिहासः

Tripura-destruction exemplum and counsel to Śalya

Devanagari script

तस्याश्वान्‌ केतनं सूतं तिलशो व्यधमच्छरै: । स्यथालस्तव महाराज तत उच्चुक्रुशुर्जना:

Transliteration

tasyāśvān ketanaṃ sūtaṃ tilaśo vyadhamac charaiḥ | syathālas tava mahārāja tata uccukruśur janāḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya nói: Khi ấy, người em rể của bệ hạ bắn hạ ngựa của đối thủ, cùng cờ hiệu và người đánh xe, dùng tên chém nát thành từng mảnh. Thấy vậy, tâu đại vương, các chiến binh và kẻ đứng xem đồng loạt hò reo vang dội, tán thưởng uy lực phô bày trong sự khốc liệt của chiến trận.

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him/that (his)
• तस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• अश्वान्: horses
• अश्वान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्व
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• केतनम्: banner/standard
• केतनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: केतना/केतन् (प्रातिपदिक: केतन)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सूतम्: charioteer
• सूतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तिलशः: piece by piece; into bits
• तिलशः: Karma
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तिलशस्

• व्यधमत्: he struck/smitten; he cut down
• व्यधमत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्मा (ध्मा/ध्माति) with वि-
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अच्छरैः: with sharp arrows
• अच्छरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अच्छर (अच्छरः/अच्छरा)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• स्यथालः: O king (address/epithet; reading uncertain)
• स्यथालः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्यथाल (पाठभेद/दुर्लभ-शब्दः)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• महाराज: O great king
• महाराज: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• ततः: then; thereupon
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• उच्चुक्रुशुः: they cried out; raised a shout
• उच्चुक्रुशुः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्रुश् (with उद्-)
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• जनाः: people
• जनाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (mahārāja, implied addressee)
• horses
• banner/standard (ketana)
• charioteer (sūta)
• arrows (śara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how battlefield success is publicly validated: the destruction of key supports of a chariot—horses, banner, and charioteer—becomes a measure of martial superiority, prompting collective acclaim. Ethically, it reflects the Mahābhārata’s tension between kṣatriya valor and the grim reality that victory often rests on disabling an enemy’s means rather than engaging in idealized combat.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the king’s brother-in-law (as referenced in the Hindi gloss) strikes down an opponent’s horses, banner, and charioteer with arrows, cutting them apart. The surrounding warriors/onlookers respond with loud, celebratory shouts.