Shloka 37

Devanagari script

रथमार्ग॑विचित्रैस्तैविंचित्ररथसंकुलम्‌

Transliteration

rathamārgavicitrais taivicittrarathasaṅkulam

Translation

Sañjaya dit : La scène était devenue un dédale déroutant de traces de chars, partout encombré de chars de toutes sortes — image de la confusion guerrière, où l’habileté des hommes et l’orgueil des armes font du champ de bataille une arène embrouillée et périlleuse.

Word by Word

• रथमार्गविचित्रैः: by/with (things) variegated by chariot-tracks
• रथमार्गविचित्रैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रथमार्गविचित्र
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• तैः: by those
• तैः: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• विचित्ररथसंकुलम्: crowded with various chariots
• विचित्ररथसंकुलम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विचित्ररथसंकुल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• chariots
• chariot-tracks (ratha-mārga)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the moral and practical reality of war: once violence is unleashed, even disciplined martial order collapses into confusion. It implicitly cautions against pride in power and highlights how conflict entangles all participants in danger and disorder.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes the battlefield as crisscrossed by intricate chariot-tracks and packed with many chariots, conveying a congested, chaotic combat scene where movement and strategy are hindered by the sheer density of war-machines.