Shloka 19

Adhyāya 290: Kuntī’s Mantra-Parīkṣā and the Appearance of Sūrya (कुन्ती–सूर्यसंवादः)

Devanagari script

ततो हताश्चात्‌ प्रस्कन्द्य रथात्‌ स हतसारथि:

Transliteration

tato hatāś cāt praskandya rathāt sa hatasārathiḥ

Translation

Then, utterly disheartened, he sprang down from the chariot—his charioteer having been slain—signaling a sudden collapse of martial advantage.

Word by Word

• ततः: then; thereupon
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद्
• Form: Avyaya (ablatival adverb: 'from there/then')

• हतः: killed; slain
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हन्
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular (past passive participle)

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: Avyaya

• अत्: then; thereupon
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्
• Form: Avyaya (particle/adverb, often in the sense 'then/now/thereupon')

• प्रस्कन्द्य: having leapt down
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्कन्द्
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), from pra+skand: 'having leapt/jumped'

• रथात्: from the chariot
• रथात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ
• Form: Masculine, ablative, singular

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

• हतसारथिः: whose charioteer was slain
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हतसारथि
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular (bahuvrihi-like adjectival usage: 'one whose charioteer is slain')

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• mārkaṇḍeya (speaker)
• ratha (chariot)
• sārathi (charioteer)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how swiftly fortune turns in battle: when a key support (the charioteer) is lost, even a warrior’s resolve can falter. It implicitly underscores dependence, vulnerability, and the ethical gravity of warfare where the fall of one person can unravel another’s capacity to act.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Markandeya’s narration, a warrior—now without his charioteer—becomes despondent and abruptly jumps down from his chariot, indicating a critical turning point in the combat situation.