Shloka 23
Adhyāya 35 — Bhīmasena’s Counter-Encirclement and the Karṇa Engagement Escalation
प्रतिगृह्म तु तद् वाक््यं रथस्थो रथसत्तम:
pratigṛhya tu tad vākyaṁ rathastho rathasattamaḥ
Sañjaya sprach: Nachdem er jene Worte angenommen hatte, erwiderte der Beste der Wagenkämpfer, auf seinem Wagen stehend, in einer Weise, wie es einem edlen Krieger ziemt—als Zeichen von Zustimmung und Bereitschaft unter der moralischen Last der Schlacht.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights disciplined acceptance of counsel or command in a war setting: a noble warrior receives the spoken instruction and proceeds with composure, reflecting the kṣatriya ideal of readiness and honor-bound action.
Sañjaya narrates a transition: after someone speaks, the leading chariot-warrior (rathasattamaḥ), positioned on his chariot, accepts those words—preparing to act or reply as the battle episode continues.