Shloka 56

न शेकुश्वलितुं केचित्‌ संनिपत्य रथा रथै: । रथोंके ईषादण्ड और कूबर भी सामने आये हुए रथोंके ईषादण्ड और कूबरोंसे भिड़कर टूक-टूक हो गये। एक दूसरेको मार डालनेकी इच्छा रखनेवाले कितने ही रथ दूसरे रथोंसे आमने-सामने भिड़कर एक पग भी इधर-उधर चल न सके

na śekuś valituṃ kecit sannipatya rathā rathaiḥ |

Sañjaya dijo: «Algunos ni siquiera pudieron girar sus carros; al cerrarse las filas, carro chocó contra carro de frente. Los timones y los yugos, al colisionar con los timones y yugos del adversario, se hicieron añicos. Muchos carros, impulsados por el deseo de matarse, se estrellaron cara a cara y no pudieron moverse ni un solo paso hacia ningún lado».

not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
शेकुःwere able
शेकुः:
TypeVerb
Rootशक्
FormPerfect (Liṭ), 3, Plural, Parasmaipada
चलितुम्to move
चलितुम्:
TypeVerb
Rootचल्
FormTumun (infinitive)
केचित्some (persons/warriors)
केचित्:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootक-चित् (केचित्)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
संनिपत्यhaving come together / having collided
संनिपत्य:
TypeVerb
Rootसम्-नि-√पत्
FormAbsolutive (ktvā/lyap), lyap (ending -ya)
रथाःchariots
रथाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootरथ
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
रथैःwith chariots
रथैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootरथ
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
R
ratha (chariots)
Ī
īṣā (chariot-pole)
Ī
īṣā-daṇḍa (pole/shaft)
K
kūbara (yoke)

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights how uncontrolled aggression and the single-minded urge to kill can trap warriors in chaos, where even basic maneuvering fails; it implicitly contrasts disciplined martial conduct with blind fury that destroys both means (chariots) and agency (movement).

Sañjaya describes a dense clash of chariots in the Kurukṣetra war: chariots press together so tightly that some cannot turn, and the poles and yokes smash as cars collide head-on, leaving many vehicles jammed and immobile.