Shloka 48

Chapter 51: Saṃdhyākāla-saṃhāra

Evening Withdrawal after Arjuna’s Counter-Advance

Devanagari script

बृहदूबलश्न॒ कौसल्यो जयत्सेनश्ल मागध: । तथा रुक्‍्मरथो राजन्‌ शल्यपुत्र: प्रतापवान्‌

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | bṛhadbalaś ca kausalyo jayatsenaś ca māgadhaḥ | tathā rukmaratho rājan śalyaputraḥ pratāpavān |

Translation

Sañjaya dit : «Ô Roi, parmi les plus grands guerriers de char se trouvent Bṛhadbala de Kosala, Jayatsena de Magadha, et aussi le vaillant Rukmaratha, puissant fils de Śalya.»

Word by Word

• बृहद्बलः: Bṛhadbala (the great-strong one; proper name)
• बृहद्बलः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बृहद्बल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कौसल्यः: the Kosalan (king of Kosala)
• कौसल्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौसल्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• जयत्सेनः: Jayatsena (whose army is victorious; proper name)
• जयत्सेनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जयत्सेन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मागधः: the Magadhan (from Magadha)
• मागधः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मागध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तथा: and also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• रुक्मरथः: Rukmaratha (golden-chariot; proper name)
• रुक्मरथः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुक्मरथ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• शल्यपुत्रः: son of Śalya
• शल्यपुत्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शल्यपुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रतापवान्: mighty, valorous
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रतापवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Bṛhadbala
• Kosala
• Jayatsena
• Magadha
• Rukmaratha
• Śalya

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse functions as a sober reminder that great power and noble lineage do not prevent participation in adharma-driven destruction; warriors, compelled by alliances and kṣatriya obligations, enter a conflict whose moral weight will be judged by intention, loyalty, and consequence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya is reporting to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra the notable chariot-warriors present on the battlefield, naming Bṛhadbala of Kosala, Jayatsena of Magadha, and Rukmaratha, the valiant son of Śalya, as part of a larger enumeration of forces.