Shloka 16

Devanagari script

रथघोष: स संग्रामे पाण्डवेयस्य सम्बभौ । वासवाशनितुल्यस्य मेघौघस्येव मारिष

Transliteration

rathaghoṣaḥ sa saṅgrāme pāṇḍaveyasya sambabhau | vāsavāśanitulyasya meghaughasyeva māriṣa ||

Translation

মান্যবৰ! সমৰত পাণ্ডৱেয় (অৰ্জুন)ৰ ৰথৰ সেই গম্ভীৰ গর্জন উঠিল—বাসৱৰ (ইন্দ্ৰৰ) বজ্ৰগর্জনৰ দৰে, আৰু মেঘপুঞ্জৰ গর্জনৰ দৰে।

Word by Word

• रथघोषः: the sound/roar of the chariot
• रथघोषः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथघोष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सः: that/he (i.e., that sound)
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• संग्रामे: in the battle
• संग्रामे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संग्राम
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• पाण्डवेयस्य: of the son of Pाण्डु (Arjuna)
• पाण्डवेयस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डवेय
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• सम्बभौ: appeared/seemed
• Type: Verb
• Root: भा
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• वासवाशनितुल्यस्य: of (something) equal to Indra's thunderbolt
• वासवाशनितुल्यस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वासवाशनितुल्य
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• मेघौघस्य: of a mass/stream of clouds
• मेघौघस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेघौघ
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• इव: like/as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

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

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna
• Pāṇḍu
• Indra (Vāsava)
• chariot
• thunderbolt (aśani/vajra)
• storm-clouds (megha)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

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.

What is happening in the narrative?

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.