Mahabharata 9.23.39 — Shalya Parva, Adhyaya 23, Shloka 39

Chapter 23: Śakuni Reports, Kaurava Advance, and Arjuna’s Penetration of the Host

Devanagari script

पादाताशक्ष त्रिसाहस्रा द्रौपदेयाश्व॒ सर्वश: । रणे हाभ्यद्रवंस्ते तु शकुनिं युद्धदुर्मदम्‌

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | pādātāś ca trīsahasrā draupadeyāś ca sarvaśaḥ | raṇe hy abhyadravaṃs te tu śakuniṃ yuddha-durmadam | tad-anantaraṃ dharmarāja-ājñayā dhanuḥ-pāṇayaḥ saptāśata-hastinaḥ pañca-sahasra-aśvārūḍhāḥ parākrama-sahadevaḥ trīsahasrāḥ pādātāś ca draupadyāḥ sarve putrāś ca—ete sarve raṇa-bhūmau yuddha-durmadam śakuniṃ prati abhyadravan |

Translation

Sañjaya nói: Rồi trong trận chiến, ba nghìn bộ binh và toàn thể các con trai của Draupadī lao tới chống lại Śakuni, kẻ đã trở nên ngạo mạn trong cơn cuồng loạn của chiến tranh. Sau đó, theo lệnh Dharmarāja, bảy trăm voi chiến có quân sĩ mang cung ngồi trên lưng, năm nghìn kỵ binh, Sahadeva dũng mãnh, ba nghìn bộ binh và tất cả các con trai của Draupadī cùng ập qua chiến địa để đánh vào Śakuni.

Word by Word

• पादाताः: foot-soldiers
• पादाताः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पादात
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• अष्ट: eight
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टन्
• Form: —, —, —

• त्रिसाहस्राः: three-thousand (in number)
• त्रिसाहस्राः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रिसाहस्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• द्रौपदेयाः: the sons of Draupadī
• द्रौपदेयाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रौपदेय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• सर्वशः: altogether; wholly; all
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वशस्

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• अभ्यद्रवन्: ran towards; charged
• Type: Verb
• Root: द्रु
• Form: Imperfect, 3, Plural, Parasmaipada

• ते: they
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तु: but; indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• शकुनिम्: Śakuni
• शकुनिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शकुनि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• युद्धदुर्मदम्: maddened by battle; battle-intoxicated
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युद्ध-दुर्मद
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Śakuni
• Dharmarāja (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• Sahadeva
• Draupadī
• Draupadeyas (sons of Draupadī)
• battlefield (raṇa-bhūmi)
• elephants (hastin)
• cavalry/horsemen (aśvārūḍha)
• bows (dhanuḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even within the violence of war, action is portrayed as ethically structured by rightful command (Dharmarāja’s order) and disciplined purpose; the verse contrasts dharma-guided obedience and coordinated effort with the moral danger of war-intoxication (yuddha-durmada).

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that, following Yudhiṣṭhira’s command, a combined force—elephants with bow-armed riders, cavalry, infantry, Sahadeva, and all of Draupadī’s sons—launches a concerted charge against Śakuni on the battlefield.