Shloka 2

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

Devanagari script

ततः स शरवर्षेण पर्जन्य इव वृष्टिमान्‌ । अभ्यवर्षदमेयात्मा क्षत्रियान्‌ क्षत्रियर्षभ:

Transliteration

tataḥ sa śaravarṣeṇa parjanya iva vṛṣṭimān | abhyavarṣad ameyātmā kṣatriyān kṣatriyarṣabhaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya nói: Rồi vị tráng sĩ bậc nhất trong hàng kṣatriya, có tinh thần không thể đo lường, trút xuống các chiến binh một trận mưa tên—như đám mây mang mưa đổ cơn mưa của nó. Cảnh ấy nhấn mạnh đà hung mãnh của chiến trận, nơi tài nghệ và ý chí của kṣatriya dâng trào, trong khi gánh nặng đạo lý của bạo lực vẫn ngầm hiện dưới bổn phận chiến tranh.

Word by Word

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

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

• शर-वर्षेण: with a shower of arrows
• शर-वर्षेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरवर्ष
• Form: Neuter, instrumental, singular

• पर्जन्यः: a rain-cloud
• पर्जन्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्जन्य
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

• इव: like, as if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव
• Form: Avyaya (comparative particle)

• वृष्टिमान्: rain-bearing, raining
• वृष्टिमान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृष्टिमत्
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

• अभ्यवर्षत्: rained upon, showered upon
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-√वृष्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), parasmaipada, 3rd person, singular

• अमेय-आत्मा: he whose self/strength is immeasurable
• अमेय-आत्मा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमेयात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

• क्षत्रियान्: the warriors (kshatriyas)
• क्षत्रियान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय
• Form: Masculine, accusative, plural

• क्षत्रिय-ऋषभः: the bull among kshatriyas (best warrior)
• क्षत्रिय-ऋषभः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रियर्षभ
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• an unnamed foremost kshatriya (kṣatriyarṣabhaḥ)
• kṣatriyas (warriors)
• arrows (śara)
• rain-cloud (parjanya)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ideal of kṣatriya prowess—unyielding courage and effectiveness in battle—while implicitly situating such violence within the framework of kṣatriya-dharma (the warrior’s duty), where action is driven by role-bound obligation rather than personal whim.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya describes a leading warrior unleashing an intense barrage of arrows on opposing kṣatriyas, compared to a rain-cloud pouring down rain—an image emphasizing overwhelming force and the escalating ferocity of the fight.