Shloka 30

अध्याय ५६ — च्यवन–कुशिकसंवादः

Cyavana–Kuśika Dialogue on Lineage, Conflict, and Transmission

Devanagari script

सज्जीकुरु रथं क्षिप्रं यस्ते सांग्रामिको मतः । सायुथध: सपताकश्न शक्तीकनकयष्टिमान्‌

Transliteration

sajjīkuru rathaṁ kṣipraṁ yas te sāṅgrāmiko mataḥ | sāyudhāḥ sapatākāś ca śaktī-kanaka-yaṣṭimān ||

Translation

Bhīṣma dit : « Ô roi, fais préparer sans tarder le char que tu tiens pour propre à la guerre. Qu’il soit pleinement armé, pourvu d’une bannière, et muni d’une lance (śakti) et d’un bâton d’or. »

Word by Word

• सज्जीकुरु: prepare, make ready
• Type: Verb
• Root: सज्जी√कृ (सज्जीकरण)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), 2, singular, परस्मैपद

• रथम्: chariot
• रथम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• क्षिप्रम्: quickly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्षिप्र

• यः: which/that (who)
• यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• ते: of you/your
• ते: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: genitive, singular

• सांग्रामिकः: fit for battle, warlike
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सांग्रामिक
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• मतः: considered, deemed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √मन् (मत, past passive participle)
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• सायुधः: having weapons, armed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-आयुध
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• सपताकः: having a banner/flag
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-पताक
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• शक्ती: with a spear/javelin (śakti-weapon)
• शक्ती: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति
• Form: feminine, instrumental, singular

• कनकयष्टिमान्: possessing a golden staff/pole
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कनक-यष्टि-मन्त्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• ratha (chariot)
• patākā (banner/standard)
• śakti (spear/javelin)
• kanaka-yaṣṭi (golden staff/rod)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes disciplined readiness and proper equipment in the performance of a ruler’s martial duty (kṣatriya-dharma): action should be prompt, orderly, and suited to one’s role, not careless or improvised.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma is instructing the king to quickly prepare a battle-worthy chariot, fully armed and marked with royal-military insignia (banner, spear, golden staff), indicating imminent movement toward a martial undertaking.