Shloka 75

Śalya’s Objection to Sārathya and Duryodhana’s Conciliation (शल्यमन्यु-प्रशमनम् / Sārathyāṅgīkāra)

Devanagari script

ते वध्यमाना: समरे सूतपुत्रेण सृज्जया: । तमेवाभिमुखं यान्ति पतड़ा इव पावकम्‌

Transliteration

te vadhyamānāḥ samare sūtaputreṇa sṛñjayāḥ | tamevābhimukhaṃ yānti pataṅgā iva pāvakam ||

Translation

三阇耶说道：“纵在战阵中被御者之子（迦尔那）所斩杀，斯林阇耶诸军仍直面向他推进——如飞蛾扑向熊熊烈火。”

Word by Word

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

• वध्यमानाः: being slain/struck down
• वध्यमानाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वध्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural, Present passive participle (शानच्), passive sense

• समरे: in battle
• समरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: समर
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• सूतपुत्रेण: by the charioteer’s son (Karna)
• सूतपुत्रेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूतपुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• सृञ्जयाः: the Sṛñjayas
• सृञ्जयाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सृञ्जय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• एव: indeed/only
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• अभिमुखम्: face-to-face; towards the front
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभिमुख
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular, adverbial accusative: 'facing (towards)'

• यान्ति: go/advance
• Type: Verb
• Root: या
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• पतङ्गाः: moths
• पतङ्गाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पतङ्ग
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• इव: like/as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• पावकम्: fire
• पावकम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पावक
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Karna (Sūtaputra)
• Sṛñjayas
• fire (pāvaka)
• moths (pataṅga)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights unwavering resolve in the face of certain death: in war, collective duty and momentum can compel fighters to press forward even when the ethical cost is tragic and the outcome appears foreknown.

What is happening in the narrative?

During the battle, Karna’s arrows are killing the Sṛñjaya warriors, yet they continue to surge directly toward Karna, compared to moths rushing into fire.