Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 30

शकुनिवधः — Sahadeva’s Slaying of Śakuni

with Ulūka’s fall

Devanagari script

तान्‌ प्रेक्ष्य सहितान्‌ सर्वान्‌ जवेनोद्यतकार्मुकान्‌ । सौबलोअभ्यद्रवद्‌ युद्धे पाण्डवानाततायिन:

Transliteration

tān prekṣya sahitān sarvān javena udyata-kārmukān | saubalo 'bhyadravad yuddhe pāṇḍavān ātatāyinaḥ ||

Translation

桑阇耶曰：见他们众人合聚一处，疾驰而来，张弓在手，苏婆罗之子（Saubala，即沙昆尼）便在战阵之中冲向般度诸子——此处称其为“进犯者”——于战场上迎击。

Word by Word

• तान्: them
• तान्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• प्रेक्ष्य: having seen
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-ईक्ष्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), having seen

• सहितान्: together, united
• सहितान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहित
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• जवेन: with speed
• जवेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: जव
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• उद्यत: raised, lifted
• उद्यत: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्-यत
• Form: क्त (past passive participle used adjectivally), Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• कार्मुकान्: bows
• कार्मुकान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्मुक
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• सौबलः: Saubala (Shakuni)
• सौबलः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौबल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अभ्यद्रवत्: ran towards, charged
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-द्रु
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• युद्धे: in battle
• युद्धे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• पाण्डवान्: the Pandavas
• पाण्डवान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• आततायिनः: aggressors, assailants
• आततायिनः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आततायिन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Saubala (Śakuni)
• Subala
• Pāṇḍavas
• bows (kārmuka)
• battlefield (implicit)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how moral framing operates in war-narrative: the opposing side is labeled ātatāyin (“aggressor”), showing how ethical judgment and propaganda-like characterization accompany battlefield action, even as combat proceeds under kṣatriya norms.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Śakuni (Saubala), seeing the Pāṇḍava forces advancing together with raised bows, rushes forward to engage them in battle.