Mahabharata 7.23.45 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 23, Shloka 45

द्रोणवध-प्रश्नः

Droṇa’s Fall: Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Inquiry

Devanagari script

बभ्रकौशेयवर्णसस्तु सुवर्णवरमालिन: । ऊहुरम्लानमनसश्रेकितानं हयोत्तमा:

Transliteration

babhrau kauśeyavarṇās tu suvarṇavaramālinaḥ | ūhur amlānamanasaś cekitānaṃ hayottamāḥ ||

Translation

সঞ্জয় বললেন—রেশমের মতো দীপ্ত পিঙ্গল-গৌর বর্ণের সেই শ্রেষ্ঠ অশ্বগুলি, সুন্দর স্বর্ণমালায় বিভূষিত এবং প্রফুল্ল ও অক্লান্তচিত্ত, চেকিতানকে রণক্ষেত্রে বহন করে নিয়ে গেল।

Word by Word

• बभ्रकौशेयवर्णसः: having the color of tawny silk
• बभ्रकौशेयवर्णसः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बभ्रकौशेयवर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• सुवर्णवरमालिनः: adorned with excellent golden garlands
• सुवर्णवरमालिनः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुवर्णवरमालिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ऊहुः: carried/bore
• Type: Verb
• Root: वह्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Plural

• अम्लानमनसः: with un-faded (cheerful) minds
• अम्लानमनसः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अम्लानमनस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• चेकितानम्: Cekitāna (proper name)
• चेकितानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: चेकितान
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• हयोत्तमाः: excellent horses
• हयोत्तमाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: हयोत्तम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Cekitāna
• horses (hayottamāḥ)
• golden garlands (suvarṇavaramālā)
• battlefield

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

In the context of dharma-yuddha, the verse highlights preparedness and steadfastness: the warrior’s entry is supported by disciplined resources (well-trained horses) and an unwearied resolve (amlānamanas), suggesting that duty in war requires both auspicious order and inner firmness.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes Cekitāna being conveyed into the battle by excellent, silk-hued, tawny horses adorned with golden garlands, emphasizing the momentum and ceremonial martial splendor of his advance.