Shloka 24

Book 9 (Śalya-parva), Adhyāya 13 — Arjuna’s Arrow-storm and the Drauṇi Confrontation

Devanagari script

सात्यकिप्रहितं शल्यो भल्‍्लैश्वचिच्छेद तोमरम्‌ । प्रहितं भीमसेनेन शरं कनकभूषणम्‌

Transliteration

sātyakiprahitaṃ śalyo bhallaiś cāciccheda tomaram | prahitaṃ bhīmasenena śaraṃ kanakabhūṣaṇam ||

Translation

Sañjaya nói: Śalya dùng những mũi tên ngạnh sắc bén chém gãy cây lao (tomara) do Sātyaki phóng tới; và cũng chặt đứt mũi tên có trang sức vàng mà Bhīmasena bắn ra. Cảnh ấy nêu bật kỹ nghệ không khoan nhượng của các chiến binh—nơi dũng khí phải đi cùng tỉnh giác và tinh thông, và nơi ý chí đơn thuần không bảo đảm thành công giữa cơn hỗn loạn của chiến tranh.

Word by Word

• सात्यकि: by Sātyaki
• सात्यकि: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सात्यकि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• प्रहितम्: sent, hurled
• प्रहितम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-हिता (कृदन्त; √हि/धा)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• शल्यः: Śalya
• शल्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भल्लैः: with arrows (bhallas)
• भल्लैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भल्ल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अवचिच्छेद: cut off, severed
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-√छिद्
• Form: Aorist (Luṅ), 3rd, Singular

• तोमरम्: javelin, spear
• तोमरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तोमर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रहितम्: sent, hurled
• प्रहितम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-हिता (कृदन्त; √हि/धा)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• भीमसेनेन: by Bhīmasena
• भीमसेनेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीमसेन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• शरम्: arrow
• शरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• कनकभूषणम्: gold-adorned
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कनकभूषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Śalya
• Sātyaki
• Bhīmasena
• bhalla (arrow)
• tomara (javelin)
• śara (arrow)
• kanaka (gold ornamentation)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a battlefield ethic: valor must be joined with vigilance and technical mastery. In war, even well-aimed weapons can be neutralized by an opponent’s superior readiness, reminding the listener that outcomes depend on disciplined skill as much as intention.

What is happening in the narrative?

During the combat, Śalya intercepts and cuts apart two incoming missiles: a javelin thrown by Sātyaki and a gold-adorned arrow shot by Bhīmasena, demonstrating his defensive prowess and the intensity of the exchange.