Shloka 12

Śalya-hatānantarāṇi: Madrarāja-padānugānāṃ praskandana and the Pandava counter-encirclement (शल्यहतानन्तराणि—मद्रराजपदानुगानां प्रस्कन्दनम्)

Devanagari script

ततो द्रुतं मद्रजनाधिपो रणे युधिष्ठिरं सप्तभिरभ्यविद्धयत्‌ । त॑ चापि पार्थो नवभि: पृषत्कै- विंव्याध राजंस्तुमुले महात्मा

Transliteration

tato drutaṁ madrarājādhipo raṇe yudhiṣṭhiraṁ saptabhir abhyaviddhayat | taṁ cāpi pārtho navabhiḥ pṛṣatkaiḥ vivyādha rājaṁs tumule mahātmā ||

Translation

Sau đó, chúa tể xứ Madra giữa chiến trận liền bắn Yudhiṣṭhira bảy mũi tên. Và, tâu Đại vương, trong cuộc giao tranh cuồng liệt ấy, bậc đại hồn Yudhiṣṭhira cũng dùng chín mũi tên đâm trúng Śalya, khiến ông bị thương.

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereupon
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः
• Form: Avyaya (ablatival adverb: 'from that/thereupon')

• द्रुतम्: quickly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: द्रुत
• Form: Avyaya (adverb)

• मद्रजनाधिपः: the lord of the Madra people (Shalya)
• मद्रजनाधिपः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मद्र-जन-अधिप
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण
• Form: Masculine, locative, singular

• युधिष्ठिरम्: Yudhishthira
• युधिष्ठिरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, accusative, singular

• सप्तभिः: with seven (arrows)
• सप्तभिः: Karana
• Type: Numeral/Adjective
• Root: सप्त
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, instrumental, plural (elliptic with 'बाणैः')

• अभ्यविद्धयत्: pierced/struck
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्यध् (विध्/व्यध्) with अभि-
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), parasmaipada, 3rd person, singular

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, accusative, singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: Avyaya (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि
• Form: Avyaya

• पार्थः: the son of Pritha (Arjuna)
• पार्थः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

• नवभिः: with nine (arrows)
• नवभिः: Karana
• Type: Numeral/Adjective
• Root: नव
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, instrumental, plural (elliptic with 'बाणैः')

• पृषत्कैः: with arrows
• पृषत्कैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृषत्क
• Form: Masculine, instrumental, plural

• विव्याध: pierced/wounded
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्यध् (विध्/व्यध्)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), parasmaipada, 3rd person, singular

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, vocative, singular

• तुमुले: in the tumultuous (battle)
• तुमुले: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुमुल
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, locative, singular (agreeing with 'रणे/युद्धे' understood)

• महात्मा: the great-souled one
• महात्मा: Karta
• Type: Adjective (used substantively)
• Root: महात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Śalya (king of Madra)
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• battlefield (raṇa)
• arrows (pṛṣatka)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores kṣatriya-dharma in wartime: even a righteous king like Yudhiṣṭhira must respond decisively to aggression. Ethical restraint does not mean passivity in a justly undertaken battle; duty requires measured but effective action.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Śalya, the Madra ruler, quickly strikes Yudhiṣṭhira with seven arrows; Yudhiṣṭhira immediately retaliates, wounding Śalya with nine arrows amid the fierce clash.