Shloka 14

Droṇa’s Defensive Stand and Abhimanyu Commissioned to Breach the Cakravyūha (द्रोणानीक-प्रतिरोधः; सौभद्र-नियोजनम्)

Devanagari script

आरास्थानेषु विन्यस्ता: कुमारा: सूर्यवर्चस: । संघातो राजपुत्राणां सर्वेषामभवत्‌ तदा,उसमें आरोंके स्थानमें सूर्यके समान तेजस्वी राजकुमार खड़े किये गये थे। उस समय वहाँ समस्त राजकुमारोंका समुदाय उपस्थित हो गया था

Transliteration

ārāsthāneṣu vinyastāḥ kumārāḥ sūryavarcasaḥ | saṅghāto rājaputrāṇāṃ sarveṣām abhavat tadā ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: “At the designated stations for the chariots, princes radiant like the sun were positioned. At that time, the entire assembly of royal sons gathered there.”

Word by Word

आरा-स्थानेषुin the places of the spokes

विन्यस्ताःplaced/arranged

कुमाराःprinces/young warriors

सूर्य-वर्चसःsun-bright, having the radiance of the sun

संघातःassembly, mass, gathering

राज-पुत्राणाम्of the princes (sons of kings)

सर्वेषाम्of all

अभवत्was, came to be

तदाthen, at that time

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

kumārāḥ (princes)

rājaputrāḥ (royal sons)

ārāsthāna (chariot stations/positions)

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?

The verse underscores disciplined martial organization and the collective responsibility of kṣatriya princes: brilliance and valor are meaningful only when ordered into duty-bound readiness rather than impulsive display.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a battlefield preparation scene: princes are stationed at assigned chariot posts, and a full gathering of royal warriors forms—signaling coordinated mobilization before impending action.