Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 163

Adhyāya 14: Śalya’s Missile-Pressure and the Pāṇḍava Convergence (शल्यस्य शरवर्षम्)

Devanagari script

समदृश्यन्त पार्थस्य रथमार्गेषु भारत । भारत! महाभाग! अर्जुनके रथके मार्गोमें धरतीपर गिरते हुए रथके पहियों

Transliteration

saṃdadṛśyanta pārthasya rathamārgeṣu bhārata | bhārata mahābhāga arjunasya rathasya mārgeṣu pṛthivyāṃ patantīnāṃ rathacakrāṇāṃ yūnām iṣudhīnām patākānāṃ dhvajānāṃ rathānāṃ harasānām anukarṣāṇāṃ triveṇunāmaka-kāṣṭhānāṃ dhurāṇāṃ rajjūnāṃ prahārakāṇāṃ kuṇḍalavatāṃ śirobhir uṣṇīṣadhāriṇāṃ mastakaiḥ bāhubhiḥ skandhaiḥ chatraiḥ vyajanaiḥ mukuṭaiś ca śataśo dhairyaṃ dṛśyante sma

Translation

三阇耶说道：噢婆罗多，噢尊贵者——在帕尔塔战车所过的辙迹之旁，大地上堆堆叠叠，尽是溃乱中坠落之物：车轮、轭具、箭箙、旌旗与幡幢、破碎的战车、兵刃与拖曳之索、名为“特里韦努”的木制配件、车轴、绳缆与鞭具；甚至还有戴着耳环与头巾的断首、臂膀与肩胛，以及华盖、羽扇与王冠。此景昭示阿周那推进之势的压倒性，也显出战争狂怒所索取的惨烈代价。

Word by Word

• समदृश्यन्त: were seen/appeared
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+दृश्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Plural, Ātmanepada

• पार्थस्य: of Pārtha (Arjuna)
• पार्थस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• रथमार्गेषु: in the chariot-tracks/paths
• रथमार्गेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथमार्ग
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• भारत: O Bhārata
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• संजय (Sañjaya)
• पार्थ / अर्जुन (Pārtha/Arjuna)
• भारत (Bhārata—address to Dhṛtarāṣṭra)
• रथ (chariot)
• रथचक्र (chariot wheels)
• यू (yoke)
• इषुधि (quivers)
• पताका (banners)
• ध्वज (standards)
• धुरा (axles/shafts)
• रज्जु (ropes)
• चाबुक/प्रहारक (whips)
• कुण्डल (earrings)
• उष्णीष (turbans)
• छत्र (parasols)
• व्यजन (fans/fly-whisks)
• मुकुट (crowns)
• त्रिवेणु (wooden chariot fitting)
• अनुकर्ष (drag-gear/trace)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the stark reality of war: even royal splendor—crowns, parasols, banners—becomes scattered debris, highlighting impermanence and the heavy human cost that accompanies martial success.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes to Dhṛtarāṣṭra the aftermath along Arjuna’s chariot path: broken chariot parts and fallen weapons mixed with severed, ornamented body parts and royal emblems, indicating Arjuna’s devastating advance through the enemy ranks.