Shloka 1

Śalya–Yudhiṣṭhira Duel and the Discharge of the Śakti (शल्यवधप्रसङ्गः)

Devanagari script

अपना बछ। है २ २4 घोडशो< ध्याय: पाण्डव-सैनिकों और कौरव-सैनिकोंका दन्डयुद्ध

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca

tataḥ sainyās tava vibho madrarāja-puraskṛtāḥ |

punar abhyadravan pārthān vegena mahatā raṇe ||

Translation

Sañjaya nói: “Tâu Chúa thượng, sau đó toàn quân của ngài—lấy vua xứ Madra làm mũi nhọn—lại một lần nữa tràn lên đánh các con trai của Pṛthā trên chiến địa, xông tới với tốc lực lớn.”

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात् अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya

• सैन्याः: soldiers, troops
• सैन्याः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सैन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तव: your
• तव: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• विभो: O mighty one / O lord
• विभो: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• मद्रराजपुरस्कृताः: having the king of Madra in front / led by the Madra king
• मद्रराजपुरस्कृताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुरस्-कृत (कृ धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय) + मद्रराज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya

• अभ्यद्रवन्: rushed towards, charged at
• अभ्यद्रवन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: द्रु (धातु) + अभि (उपसर्ग)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd person, Plural, Parasmaipada

• पार्थान्: the sons of Pṛthā / the Pāṇḍavas
• पार्थान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• वेगेन: with speed, with force
• वेगेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• महता: great, mighty
• महता: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Madrarāja (Śalya)
• Pārthas (Pāṇḍavas)
• Kaurava army

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how collective action in war depends on leadership and momentum: troops rally when a prominent commander is placed at the front. Ethically, it reflects the Mahābhārata’s recurring tension between kṣatriya duty (fighting as commanded) and the tragic consequences of pursuing victory through relentless aggression.

What is happening in the narrative?

After a prior phase of fighting, the Kaurava forces regroup and charge again. They put Śalya, the king of Madra, at the head of their formation and rush with great speed against the Pāṇḍavas on the battlefield, as reported by Sañjaya to Dhṛtarāṣṭra.