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Shloka 66

कर्णेन युधिष्ठिरानीकविदारणम् / Karṇa’s Breach of Yudhiṣṭhira’s Battle-Line

रथश्न विहितोस्माभिरवविंचित्रायुधसंवृत: । सारथिं च न जानीम: क: स्यात्‌ तस्मिन्‌ रथोत्तमे,“हमने उनके लिये विचित्र आयुधोंसे सम्पन्न रथ तैयार कर दिया है; परंतु उस उत्तम रथपर कौन सारथि होकर बैठेगा? यह हम नहीं जानते हैं'

rathaś ca vihito 'smābhir avavicitrāyudhasaṃvṛtaḥ | sārathiṃ ca na jānīmaḥ kaḥ syāt tasmin rathottame ||

Duryodhana sprach: „Wir haben einen Wagen bereiten lassen—vollständig ausgerüstet und von einer Vielfalt wunderbarer Waffen umgeben. Doch wer auf diesem besten aller Wagen als Lenker sitzen wird, das wissen wir nicht.“

रथम्chariot
रथम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootरथ
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
विहितःprepared/arranged
विहितः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootवि-धा (धातु: धा)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular, kta (past passive participle)
अस्माभिःby us
अस्माभिः:
Karana
TypePronoun
Rootअस्मद्
Form—, Instrumental, Plural
अवdown/away (preverb; here with √वृ/√वृञ in sense of 'covered/surrounded')
अव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअव
विचित्रvarious/strange
विचित्र:
Karana
TypeAdjective
Rootविचित्र
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Plural
आयुधweapons
आयुध:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootआयुध
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Plural
संवृतःcovered/surrounded/equipped
संवृतः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootसम्-√वृ (वृञ् आवरणे)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular, kta (past passive participle)
सारथिम्charioteer
सारथिम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootसारथि
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
जानीमःwe know
जानीमः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Root√ज्ञा
FormPresent (Lat), First, Plural, Parasmaipada
कःwho
कः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootकिम्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
स्यात्might be / should be
स्यात्:
TypeVerb
Root√अस्
FormOptative (Vidhi-lin), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada
तस्मिन्on/in that
तस्मिन्:
Adhikarana
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular
रथोत्तमेon the best chariot
रथोत्तमे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootरथ-उत्तम
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular

दुर्योधन उवाच

D
Duryodhana
C
chariot (ratha)
C
charioteer (sārathi)
W
weapons (āyudha)

Educational Q&A

Material readiness—arms, armor, and an excellent chariot—does not by itself secure success; effective action in war also depends on competent guidance and coordination. The verse highlights the ethical and practical weight of choosing the right sārathi: leadership is not merely possession of resources but the wise deployment of them through capable persons.

In the Karṇa Parva context, Duryodhana speaks about having arranged a superb, weapon-laden chariot for a key warrior, but admits uncertainty about who will serve as its charioteer. The line reflects a moment of logistical and strategic concern within the Kaurava camp, where the availability of a suitable sārathi becomes crucial to battlefield effectiveness.