Shloka 33

Devanagari script

कृष्णसारथिमायान्तं दृष्टवा श्वेतहयं रथम्‌

Transliteration

kṛṣṇasārathim āyāntaṃ dṛṣṭvā śvetahayaṃ ratham

Translation

Sañjaya said: Seeing the chariot drawn by white horses approaching, with Kṛṣṇa as its charioteer, they recognized the arrival of Arjuna’s divinely guided car—a sight that signals not merely martial power but the presence of discerning counsel and righteous strategy amid the chaos of war.

Word by Word

• कृष्णसारथिम्: Krishna as charioteer (him)
• कृष्णसारथिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्णसारथि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आयान्तम्: coming/approaching
• आयान्तम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: या
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund)

• श्वेतहयम्: the white-horsed (one)
• श्वेतहयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वेतहय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Kṛṣṇa
• chariot
• white horses

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical and practical significance of right guidance in conflict: Kṛṣṇa as sārathi symbolizes discerning counsel that steers power toward dharma, implying that victory is not only force but also righteous direction and clarity of purpose.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports the sight of a white-horsed chariot approaching with Kṛṣṇa as its charioteer—an identifying battlefield image that signals the arrival of the Pandava side’s principal chariot (associated with Arjuna) and the imminent engagement it brings.