Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 43

Śalya–Bhīma Gadā-saṃnipāta and Śalya’s Bāṇa-jāla against Yudhiṣṭhira

Book 9, Chapter 11

Devanagari script

गौतम: पुनराचार्यों धृष्टद्युम्मनमयोधयत्‌

Transliteration

gautamaḥ punar ācāryo dhṛṣṭadyumnam ayodhayat

Translation

三阇耶说道：随后，受人敬仰的师长乔多摩又一次与持军那（Dhṛṣṭadyumna）交战。此景昭示：在战争的混乱之中，即便德高望重的长者也会被职责所驱使，执起兵刃，毫不迟疑地直面强敌。

Word by Word

• गौतमः: Gautama
• गौतमः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौतम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पुनः: again
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः

• आचार्यः: the teacher (Drona)
• आचार्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: आचार्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धृष्टद्युम्नम्: Dhrishtadyumna
• धृष्टद्युम्नम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धृष्टद्युम्न
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अयोधयत्: made (him) fight; fought (against)
• Type: Verb
• Root: युध्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada, Causative (ṇic)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Gautama
• Dhṛṣṭadyumna
• Sañjaya

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharma as steadfast performance of one’s role: even an ācārya (revered elder) must act decisively in war when duty demands, setting aside personal hesitation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Gautama, described as an ācārya, again took up combat and fought directly with Dhṛṣṭadyumna, indicating a renewed clash between the two on the battlefield.