Shloka 363

निवातकवचवधः — Arjuna’s Neutralization of the Nivātakavacas

Vajra-astra deployment

Devanagari script

मातलिहयतत्त्वज्ञो यथावद्‌ भूरिदक्षिण: । मातलि अश्वसंचालनकी कलाके मर्मज्ञ थे। सारथिके कार्यमें अत्यन्त कुशल थे। उन्होंने मन तथा वायुके समान वेगशाली अश्वोंको यथोचित रीतिसे आगे बढ़ाया

Transliteration

mātaliḥ yat tattvajño yathāvad bhūridakṣiṇaḥ |

Translation

Arjuna sprach: „Mātali, der die wahren Grundsätze kannte und höchst kundig war, erfüllte die Pflicht des Wagenlenkers meisterhaft. In der Kunst, Pferde zu führen, bewandert, trieb er die Rosse—schnell wie Geist und Wind—auf rechte Weise voran.“

Word by Word

• मातलिः: Matali (Indra's charioteer)
• मातलिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातलि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• हयतत्त्वज्ञः: knower of the principles of horses
• हयतत्त्वज्ञः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हय-तत्त्व-ज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• यथावत्: properly, as prescribed
• यथावत्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथावत्

• भूरिदक्षिणः: very skillful (lit. having abundant दक्षिणा/skill)
• भूरिदक्षिणः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भूरि-दक्षिण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna
• Mātali
• horses
• chariot (implied)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Excellence in dharma is shown through competent performance of one’s role: Mātali’s truth-informed expertise and disciplined technique illustrate how right knowledge and practical skill together uphold duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna describes Mātali’s mastery as a charioteer—his knowledge, dexterity, and precise control of extremely swift horses—highlighting the reliable guidance enabling the journey/encounter to proceed effectively.