हताश्वात् तु रथात् तूर्णम् अवप्लुत्य महारथः ॥
तस्थौ विस्फारयंश् चापं विमुञ्चंश् च शिताञ् शरान् ॥
शतानीकस् ततो दृष्ट्वा भ्रातरं हतवाहनम् ॥
रथेनाभ्यपतत् तूर्णं सर्वलोकस्य पश्यतः ॥
शतानीकम् अथायान्तं मद्रराजो महामृधे ॥
विशिखैर् बहुभिर् विद्ध्वा ततो निन्ये यमक्षयम् ॥
तस्मिंस् तु निहते वीरे विराटो रथसत्तमः ॥
आरुरोह रथं तूर्णं तम् एव ध्वजमालिनम् ॥
hatāśvāt tu rathāt tūrṇam avaplutya mahārathaḥ ||
tasthau visphārayaṃś cāpaṃ vimuñcaṃś ca śitāñ śarān ||
śatānīkas tato dṛṣṭvā bhrātaraṃ hatavāhanam ||
rathenābhyapatat tūrṇaṃ sarvalokasya paśyataḥ ||
śatānīkam athāyāntaṃ madrarājo mahāmṛdhe ||
viśikhair bahubhir viddhvā tato ninye yamakṣayam ||
tasmiṃs tu nihate vīre virāṭo rathasattamaḥ ||
āruroha rathaṃ tūrṇaṃ tam eva dhvajamālinam ||
His, the lord of Madra, having slain his four chariot-horses, brought down the charioteer and standard from the chariot platform in battle. Leaping swiftly down from his chariot with its slain horses, the great warrior [Virata] stood, drawing his bow and loosing sharp arrows. Then Shatanika, seeing his brother deprived of his horses, rushed swiftly on his chariot, in the sight of all the world. Then, as Shatanika advanced, the king of Madra, in the great combat, having pierced him with many arrows, sent him to the abode of Yama.
36443d46967a · published Jul 19, 2026, 4:49:34 PM UTC
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Shatanika rushes to rescue his horseless brother -- and dies: love for one's kin draws one into the very danger. It is telling that brotherly loyalty does not falter before the terrible Shalya, though its price is life. The verse teaches that the bonds of blood are stronger than the fear of death: a brother flies to a brother's aid heedless of destruction; and in this selfless impulse lies the highest, if tragic, beauty of kinship's love, which would rather perish beside its own than survive apart.