Shloka 12

Śalya–Yudhiṣṭhira Duel and the Discharge of the Śakti (शल्यवधप्रसङ्गः)

Devanagari script

वे विषधर सर्पोंके समान भयंकर बाणोंद्वारा राजा युधिष्ठिरको पीड़ित करके पुनः भीमसेनकी ओर दौड़े और उन्हें अपने बाणोंकी वर्षासे आच्छादित करने लगे ।।

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | te viṣadhara-sarpāṇāṃ samānā bhayaṅkaraiḥ bāṇaiḥ rājānaṃ yudhiṣṭhiraṃ pīḍayitvā punaḥ bhīmasenasyaiva abhyadravan, taṃ ca svabāṇa-varṣeṇa samantād ācchādayām āsuḥ || tasya tallāghavaṃ dṛṣṭvā tathaiva ca kṛtāstratām | apūjayann anīkāni pareṣāṃ tāvakāni ca ||

Translation

三阇耶说道：他们以如毒蛇般可怖的箭矢折磨坚战王；继而又冲向毗摩塞那，四面八方以箭雨将他笼罩。见他身法迅疾、武艺精熟，军士们——无论你方还是敌方——都对他大加称赞。

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him/that (person)
• तस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• लाघवम्: agility, lightness, quickness
• लाघवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: लाघव
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya (Purvakala)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral here), Non-finite

• तथा: thus, in that manner
• तथा: Avyaya (manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Avyaya (emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• च: and
• च: Avyaya (conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• कृत: done, accomplished
• कृत: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• अस्त्रताम्: skill in weapons; mastery of arms
• अस्त्रताम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्त्रता
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• अपूजयन्: they praised, they honored
• अपूजयन्: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज्
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), Past, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• अनीकानि: armies, troops
• अनीकानि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनीक
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• परेषाम्: of the others; of the enemy side
• परेषाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Adjective (substantive use)
• Root: पर
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• तावकानि: your (side's) (troops)
• तावकानि: Karta
• Type: Adjective (substantive use)
• Root: तावक
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• च: Avyaya (conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Bhīmasena (Bhīma)
• Kaurava army (tāvakāḥ)
• Pāṇḍava army (pareṣām anīkāni)
• Arrows (bāṇāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid violent conflict, excellence in discipline and skill can elicit respect from both sides; the verse highlights a warrior-ethic where valor and mastery (lāghava, kṛtāstratā) are acknowledged beyond partisan loyalty, hinting at an ethical space for honor even in war.

What is happening in the narrative?

After wounding and pressuring King Yudhiṣṭhira with deadly arrows, the attackers turn and charge Bhīma, covering him with an arrow-shower. Observing Bhīma’s agility and weapon-mastery, soldiers from both the Kaurava and Pāṇḍava ranks praise him.