Shloka 40

Adhyāya 55: Pārtha–Rādheya Saṃvāda and Tactical Exchange

Chapter 55

Devanagari script

आस्थाय रुचिरं जिष्णो रथं सारथिना मया । कतमं यास्यसे5नीकमुक्तो यास्याम्यहं त्वया

Transliteration

āsthāya ruciraṃ jiṣṇo rathaṃ sārathinā mayā | katamaṃ yāsyase 'nīkam ukto yāsyāmy ahaṃ tvayā ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: „O Jiṣṇu (Arjuna), da du mit mir als deinem Wagenlenker diesen prächtigen Wagen bestiegen hast: Zu welcher Abteilung des Heeres willst du vorrücken? Sobald du befiehlst, werde ich mit dir gehen.“ In diesem Zusammenhang erkennt Uttara—als er Arjuna erneut fest zum Kampf entschlossen sieht—seine Absicht und bietet bereitwilligen, disziplinierten Dienst an, indem er seinen eigenen Willen dem gerechten Vorhaben des Kriegers unterordnet.

Word by Word

• आस्थाय: having mounted / having taken (seat)
• आस्थाय: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), कर्तरि

• रुचिरम्: beautiful
• रुचिरम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रुचिर
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• जिष्णो: O Jishnu (Arjuna)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जिष्णु
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• रथम्: chariot
• रथम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• सारथिना: with the charioteer
• सारथिना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सारथि
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• मया: by me / with me
• मया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Instrumental, Singular

• कतमम्: which (one) / to which
• कतमम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कतम
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• यास्यसे: will you go
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (simple future), परस्मैपद, Second, Singular

• अनीकम्: army-division / battle-front
• अनीकम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनीक
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• उक्तः: having been told / when told
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular, कर्मणि (P.P.P.)

• यास्यामि: I will go
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (simple future), परस्मैपद, First, Singular

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Nominative, Singular

• त्वया: with you / by you
• त्वया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Arjuna (Jiṣṇu)
• Uttara (Virāṭa-kumāra)
• chariot
• army division (anīka)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights disciplined service aligned with righteous purpose: the subordinate (Uttara) offers prompt cooperation and readiness to follow the warrior’s command, reflecting the ethic of duty and coordinated action in a just battle.

What is happening in the narrative?

After recognizing Arjuna’s renewed resolve to fight, Uttara—now acting as charioteer—asks which Kaurava troop-division Arjuna wishes to approach, assuring him that he will drive wherever Arjuna orders.