Shloka 20
Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 114 — Karṇa–Bhīmasena Missile Exchange, Disarmament, and Arjuna’s Intervention
एते रुक्मरथा नाम राजपुत्रा महारथा: । रथेष्वस्त्रेषु निपुणा नागेषु च विशाम्पते
ete rukmarathā nāma rājaputrā mahārathāḥ | ratheṣv astreṣu nipuṇā nāgeṣu ca viśāmpate ||
Sañjaya sprach: „O Herr der Völker, dies sind die königlichen Prinzen, bekannt als die Rukmarathas—große Wagenkämpfer. Sie sind kundig im Lenken der Streitwagen und im Gebrauch der Waffen und ebenso geübt im Einsatz von Kriegselefanten.“
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the Kṣatriya ideal of disciplined martial competence—mastery of multiple arms (chariot, weapons, elephants). Ethically, it underscores that power in war is tied to training and responsibility, not merely birth or claim.
Sañjaya continues his battlefield report to Dhṛtarāṣṭra, identifying a group of royal princes called the Rukmarathas and describing their status as elite warriors proficient in chariot-fighting, weapon-use, and elephant warfare.