Shloka 24

Devanagari script

तथैव रथशालासु प्रादुरासीद्भधुताशन: । ध्वजाश्वापि व्यशीर्यन्त भरतानामभूतये,इसी प्रकार हमारी रथशालाओंमें आग लग गयी और रथोंकी ध्वजाएँ जलकर खाक हो गयीं, जो भरत-वंशियोंके लिये अमंगलकी सूवना देनेवाली थीं

Transliteration

tathaiva rathaśālāsu prādurāsīd bāḍhutāśanaḥ | dhvajāśvā api vyaśīryanta bharatānām abhūtaye ||

Translation

«De même, dans nos remises à chars, un feu violent jaillit soudain. Même les étendards et les chevaux furent détruits : présages annonçant le malheur pour la race des Bharata.»

Word by Word

तथाthus, in the same way

एवindeed, just

रथशालासुin the chariot-sheds

प्रादुरासीत्appeared, arose, broke out

बहुताशनःthe great fire (lit. much-eater)

ध्वजाःbanners, standards

अश्वाःhorses

अपिalso, even

व्यशीर्यन्तwere destroyed, perished, were reduced (to ruin/ashes)

भरतानाम्of the Bharatas

अभूतयेfor misfortune, for ruin (as an ill-omen)

Speaker

धृतराष्ट उवाच

Characters & Entities

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

rathaśālā (chariot-sheds)

agni (fire)

dhvaja (banners/standards)

aśva (horses)

Bharatas (Bharata lineage)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the Mahābhārata theme that collective wrongdoing and moral disorder are mirrored by ominous signs in the world; such portents warn rulers to reflect on dharma and the consequences of their choices.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛtarāṣṭra reports alarming portents: a sudden fire erupts in the Kuru chariot-sheds, destroying banners and even horses—interpreted as a sign of impending disaster for the Bharata clan.