Shloka 20

शल्य–युधिष्ठिरयुद्धप्रारम्भः

Commencement of the Śalya–Yudhiṣṭhira Duel

Devanagari script

मद्रेश्वर: क्षुरप्रेण तदा मारिष चिच्छिदे । तदशीर्यत विच्छिन्नं धनु: शल्यस्य सायकै:

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

madreśvaraḥ kṣurapreṇa tadā māriṣa cicchide |

tad aśīryata vicchinnaṃ dhanuḥ śalyasya sāyakaiḥ ||

Translation

三阇耶说道：于是，摩陀罗之主（沙利耶），噢尊贵者，以刃锋如剃刀之箭将那张弓斩断。那弓被沙利耶的箭矢截裂，顿时碎裂成片，散落于地。

Word by Word

• मद्रेश्वरः: the lord of Madra (Shalya)
• मद्रेश्वरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मद्र-ईश्वर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• क्षुरप्रेण: with a razor-headed arrow
• क्षुरप्रेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षुरप्र
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

• मारिष: O noble one / dear sir
• Type: Noun
• Root: मारिष
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• चिच्छिदे: cut / severed
• Type: Verb
• Root: छिद्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• तत्: that (bow)
• तत्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• अशीर्यत: broke apart / fell to pieces
• Type: Verb
• Root: शॄ
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada

• विच्छिन्नम्: having been cut/severed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-छिन्न
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• धनुः: the bow
• धनुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुस्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• शल्यस्य: of Shalya
• Type: Noun
• Root: शल्य
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• सायकैः: by/with arrows
• सायकैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सायक
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Śalya
• Madra
• bow (dhanuḥ)
• razor-headed arrow (kṣurapra)
• arrows (sāyaka)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in a dharmic war, outcomes can turn instantly through skill and circumstance; the warrior’s duty is steadiness and resolve when one’s resources—like a bow—are suddenly destroyed.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Śalya, the king of Madra, uses a razor-headed arrow to sever a bow; struck and cut by Śalya’s arrows, the bow breaks apart and scatters.