Shloka 38

Devanagari script

शीघ्र॑ न्‍्यस्यत शस्त्राणि वाहेभ्यश्षावरोहत । एष योगोऊत्र विहित: प्रतिषेधे महात्मना

Transliteration

śīghraṁ nyasyata śastrāṇi vāhebhyaś cāvaroḥata | eṣa yogo 'tra vihitaḥ pratiṣedhe mahātmanā ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: “Quickly lay down your weapons; dismount from your mounts and vehicles. This is the proper course ordained here—an injunction laid down by a great-souled authority—for restraint and the calming of the clash.”

Word by Word

शीघ्रम्quickly

न्यस्यतput down, lay aside

शस्त्राणिweapons

वाहेभ्यःfrom the mounts/vehicles

अश्वof the horse

अवरोहतdismount (come down)

एषःthis

योगःmethod, procedure

उक्तःsaid, prescribed

विहितःordained, laid down

प्रतिषेधेin (the matter of) prohibition/cessation

महात्मनाby the great-souled one

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

weapons (śastrāṇi)

mounts/vehicles (vāha)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid war, there are moments when dharma requires restraint: laying down weapons and dismounting symbolizes a deliberate pause, obeying an established injunction meant to prevent excess and restore order.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports an urgent command to stop armed engagement—combatants are told to set aside weapons and come down from their mounts/vehicles, indicating a temporary cessation or regulated halt in fighting under a rule attributed to a ‘great-souled’ authority.