Shloka 2

अभिमन्योर् दारुणः संमर्दः

Abhimanyu’s fierce melee amid chariot formations

Devanagari script

तमूहुवाजिनो वश्या: सैन्धवा: साधुवाहिन: । विकुर्वाणा बृहन्तो5श्वा: श्वसनोपमरंहस:,सारथिके वशमें रहकर अच्छी तरह सवारीका काम देनेवाले, वायुके समान वेगशाली तथा नाना प्रकारकी चाल दिखाते हुए चलनेवाले सिंधुदेशीय विशाल अश्व जयद्रथको वहन करते थे

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | tam ūhuḥ ājino vaśyāḥ saindhavāḥ sādhuvāhinaḥ | vikurvāṇā bṛhanto 'śvāḥ śvasanopamarāṃhasaḥ |

Translation

Sañjaya said: Those great Sindhu-bred horses—well-trained, obedient to the reins, and excellent in bearing a charioteer’s command—carried him along. Displaying varied gaits and moving with wind-like speed, they bore Jayadratha forward in the press of war, showing how disciplined power becomes a decisive instrument when yoked to a warrior’s intent.

Word by Word

तान्them

ऊहुःcarried/bore

वाजिनःhorses

वश्याःtractable, obedient

सैन्धवाःfrom Sindhu-country (Saindhava)

साधु-वाहिनःgood at carrying/drawing (well-performing as mounts)

विकुर्वाणाःdisplaying, performing (various movements)

बृहन्तःhuge, mighty

अश्वाःhorses

श्वसन-उपम-रंहसःhaving speed comparable to the wind

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Jayadratha

Sindhu (region)

horses

charioteer (sārathi)

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 highlights disciplined strength: power (speed and size) becomes effective and ethically consequential only when governed—here, the horses are vaśyāḥ (obedient), showing that control and training are essential to purposeful action in war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes Jayadratha being borne swiftly by large, Sindhu-bred horses that obey the charioteer and display varied gaits, emphasizing their exceptional speed and readiness amid the battle setting of Droṇa Parva.