Shloka 35

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

Devanagari script

तस्य धर्मसुतो राजन क्षुरप्रेण महाहवे | चक्ररक्ष॑ं जघानाशु मद्रराजस्य पार्थिव:,राजन! उन महासमरमें धर्मपुत्र राजा युधिष्ठिरने एक क्षुरप्रद्वारा मद्रराज शल्यके चक्ररक्षकको शीघ्र ही मार डाला

Transliteration

tasya dharmasuto rājan kṣurapreṇa mahāhave | cakrarakṣaṃ jaghānāśu madrarājasya pārthivaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya thưa: Tâu Đại vương, trong trận đại chiến ấy, Dharmasuta Yudhiṣṭhira đã nhanh chóng dùng mũi tên sắc như dao cạo hạ gục kẻ hộ vệ bánh xe của Śalya, vua xứ Madra.

Word by Word

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

• धर्मसुतः: Dharma's son (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• धर्मसुतः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मसुत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• राजन्: O king
• राजन्: Sambodhana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• क्षुरप्रेण: with a razor-edged (arrow/weapon)
• क्षुरप्रेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षुरप्र
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• महाहवे: in the great battle
• महाहवे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाहव
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• चक्ररक्षम्: the wheel-guard (chariot-guard)
• चक्ररक्षम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्ररक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• जघान: slew/struck down
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular

• आशु: quickly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आशु

• मद्रराजस्य: of the king of Madra (Śalya)
• मद्रराजस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: मद्रराज
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• पार्थिवः: the king (earth-lord)
• पार्थिवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Yudhiṣṭhira (Dharmasuta)
• Śalya (king of Madra)
• kṣurapra (razor-edged arrow)
• cakrarakṣa (wheel-guard/chariot defender)
• chariot wheel (cakra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even a ruler devoted to dharma must sometimes employ swift, forceful action when fulfilling kṣatriya-duty in a just war; ethical intent and responsibility remain central even amid violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Yudhiṣṭhira, using a razor-edged arrow, quickly kills Śalya’s cakrarakṣa—the chariot’s wheel-guard—thereby weakening Śalya’s chariot defense in the ongoing battle.