Shloka 36

Devanagari script

ध्रुवं रथाग्रय: समुपैति पार्थों विद्रावयन्‌ सैन्यमिदं परेषाम्‌ । सिता भ्रवर्णरसितप्रयुक्ति- हयैर्महाहैं रथिनां वरिष्ठ:

Transliteration

dhruvaṁ rathāgryaḥ samupaiti pārtho vidrāvayan sainyam idaṁ pareṣām | sitābhravarṇarasitaprayukti-hayair mahāhrai rathināṁ variṣṭhaḥ ||

Translation

Assurément Pārtha (Arjuna), le premier des combattants de char, s’avance par ici en mettant en déroute l’armée ennemie. Ses superbes chevaux de race—blancs et lumineux comme des nuées pâles—sont menés avec art par Śrī Kṛṣṇa, le Shyāmasundara.

Word by Word

• ध्रुवम्: surely, certainly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ध्रुव
• Form: Avyaya (adverb)

• रथाग्र्यः: the foremost charioteer/warrior in a chariot
• रथाग्र्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथाग्र्य
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

• समुपैति: approaches, comes near
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+उप+इ (एति)
• Form: Present, parasmaipada, 3rd person, singular

• पार्थः: Pārtha (Arjuna)
• पार्थः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

• विद्रावयन्: driving away, routing
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि+द्रु (णिच्)
• Form: Present active participle (parasmaipada sense), masculine, nominative, singular

• सैन्यम्: army
• सैन्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सैन्य
• Form: Neuter, accusative, singular

• इदम्: this
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Neuter, accusative, singular

• परेषाम्: of the enemies/others
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: पर
• Form: Masculine, genitive, plural

• सिताभ्रवर्णैः: with (those) having the color of white clouds
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सिताभ्रवर्ण
• Form: Masculine, instrumental, plural

• रसितप्रयुक्तैः: urged/controlled by the (reins/commands) with sound (i.e., with calls/whips)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रसितप्रयुक्त
• Form: Masculine, instrumental, plural

• हयैः: by horses
• हयैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: हय
• Form: Masculine, instrumental, plural

• महाहयैः: by great horses
• महाहयैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाहय
• Form: Masculine, instrumental, plural

• रथिनाम्: of chariot-warriors
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथिन्
• Form: Masculine, genitive, plural

• वरिष्ठः: the best, the foremost
• वरिष्ठः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वरिष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

Speaker

विशोक उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna (Pārtha, Kuntīnandana)
• enemy army (pareṣāṁ sainyam)
• chariot
• horses (hayāḥ)
• clouds (abhra) as simile
• Krishna (implied as charioteer in the received Gītā Press gloss)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights decisive leadership and steadfast resolve in a righteous struggle: a true rathin (chariot-warrior) advances with clarity of purpose, turning the tide by courage, skill, and disciplined control—symbolized by well-driven, spirited horses.

What is happening in the narrative?

Viśoka announces that Arjuna is approaching the current battlefield position, having already driven the opposing troops into retreat. Arjuna is portrayed as the foremost chariot-warrior, arriving with powerful, bright horses under expert control, signaling an imminent escalation in the fight.