Shloka 10

Devanagari script

स युक्तमास्थाय रथं हि काले भर्नुर्विधुन्चन्‌ शरपूर्णमुष्टि: । सृजत्यसौ शरवर्षाणि वीरो महाहवे मेघ इवाम्बुधारा:,वीरवर भीमसेन यथासमय जुते हुए रथपर आरूढ़ हो धनुष हिलाते हुए मुद्टीभर बाण निकालते और जैसे मेघ जलकी धारा गिराते हैं, उसी प्रकार महासमरमें बाणोंकी वर्षा करते हैं

Transliteration

sa yuktam āsthāya rathaṃ hi kāle bhānur vidhunvan śara-pūrṇa-muṣṭiḥ | sṛjaty asau śara-varṣāṇi vīro mahāhave megha ivāmbu-dhārāḥ ||

Translation

At the proper moment he mounts his well-yoked chariot; shaking his bow, his fist filled with arrows, that hero releases showers of shafts in the great battle—like a cloud pouring down streams of rain.

Word by Word

सःhe

युक्तम्yoked, harnessed

आस्थायhaving mounted/ascended

रथम्chariot

हिindeed

कालेat the proper time

भानुःthe radiant one (here: the hero, like the sun)

विधुन्वन्shaking, brandishing

शरपूर्णमुष्टिःwhose fist is full of arrows (i.e., holding a fistful of arrows)

सृजतिhe releases, lets fly

असौthat one, he

शरवर्षाणिshowers of arrows

वीरःthe hero

महाहवेin the great battle

मेघःa cloud

इवlike, as

अम्बुधाराःstreams of water (rain-showers)

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

ratha (chariot)

śara (arrows)

megha (cloud)

ambu-dhārā (rain-streams)

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 controlled valor: true martial excellence acts 'in time' (kāle), with preparedness and restraint, turning strength into purposeful action rather than impulsive violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

A warrior mounts a properly harnessed chariot at the decisive moment and, brandishing his bow with a fistful of arrows, unleashes a dense barrage—compared to a cloud pouring rain in a great battle.