Shloka 57

शल्यपरिघातः (Śalya Under Encirclement) — Mahābhārata, Śalya-parva, Adhyāya 12

Devanagari script

पाण्डुपुत्रेण वै तस्य केतुं छिन्न॑ महात्मना

Transliteration

pāṇḍuputreṇa vai tasya ketuṃ chinnaṃ mahātmanā

Translation

Sañjaya nói: Vị đại hùng—con trai của Pāṇḍu—quả đã chém đứt ngọn cờ của hắn; giữa chiến trận, hành động ấy vừa biểu lộ tài thao lược, vừa là quyết tâm đạo nghĩa: bẻ gãy kiêu khí của địch mà không hề chệch khỏi bổn phận chiến binh.

Word by Word

• पाण्डु-पुत्रेण: by the son of Pāṇḍu
• पाण्डु-पुत्रेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डुपुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• वै: indeed / surely
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• तस्य: of him / his
• तस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• केतुम्: banner / standard
• केतुम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: केतु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• छिन्नम्: cut off / severed
• Type: Verb
• Root: छिद्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• महात्मना: by the great-souled (one)
• महात्मना: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• संजय (Sañjaya)
• पाण्डुपुत्र (a son of Pāṇḍu; a Pāṇḍava)
• केतु (banner/standard)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

In a dharmic war narrative, striking the enemy’s standard symbolizes undermining arrogance and morale while still acting within a warrior’s duty—courage joined with disciplined purpose rather than cruelty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that a Pāṇḍava hero severs the opponent’s banner (ketu), a battlefield moment indicating dominance and a turning of momentum against the enemy.