Shloka 16
Devanagari script
रथघोष: स संग्रामे पाण्डवेयस्य सम्बभौ । वासवाशनितुल्यस्य मेघौघस्येव मारिष
Transliteration
rathaghoṣaḥ sa saṅgrāme pāṇḍaveyasya sambabhau | vāsavāśanitulyasya meghaughasyeva māriṣa ||
Translation
وفي غمرة القتال علا دويُّ عربة الباندافي—كأنه صاعقة فاسافا (إندرا)، وكأنه هدير كتلةٍ من سحب العاصفة المتراكمة.
Word by Word
रथघोषःthe sound/roar of the chariot
रथघोषः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootरथघोष
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
सःthat/he (i.e., that sound)
सः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
संग्रामेin the battle
संग्रामे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootसंग्राम
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular
पाण्डवेयस्यof the son of Pाण्डु (Arjuna)
पाण्डवेयस्य:
Sambandha
TypeNoun
Rootपाण्डवेय
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
सम्बभौappeared/seemed
सम्बभौ:
TypeVerb
Rootभा
FormPerfect (Liṭ), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada
वासवाशनितुल्यस्यof (something) equal to Indra's thunderbolt
वासवाशनितुल्यस्य:
Sambandha
TypeAdjective
Rootवासवाशनितुल्य
FormMasculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular
मेघौघस्यof a mass/stream of clouds
मेघौघस्य:
Sambandha
TypeNoun
Rootमेघौघ
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
इवlike/as
इव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव
मारिषO venerable one / sir
मारिष:
TypeNoun
Rootमारिष
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
Speaker
अजुन उवाच
Characters & Entities
A
ArjunaP
PāṇḍuI
Indra (Vāsava)C
chariotT
thunderbolt (aśani/vajra)S
storm-clouds (megha)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the awe and responsibility of righteous power in war: Arjuna’s presence is depicted with cosmic, Indra-like imagery, suggesting that martial strength should serve dharma and disciplined duty rather than mere violence.
During the battle, the sound of Arjuna’s chariot is heard as a tremendous roar, compared to Indra’s thunderbolt and the rumbling of dense storm-clouds, signaling his formidable advance and the intensification of combat.