Shloka 26
Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 2: Karṇa’s lament, vow, and battle preparation after Bhīṣma’s fall
अश्वानग्रयान् पाण्डुराभ्रप्रकाशान् पुष्टान् सनातान् मन्त्रपूताभिरद्धि: । तप्तैर्भाण्डै: काउचनैरभ्युपेतान् शीघ्रान् शीघ्र सूतपुत्रानयस्व,'सूतपुत्र! तुम शीघ्र ही मेरे लिये श्रेष्ठ एवं शीघ्रगामी घोड़े ले आओ, जो श्वेत बादलोंके समान उज्ज्वल तथा मन्त्रपूत जलसे नहाये हुए हों, शरीरसे हृष्टपुष्ट हों और जिन्हें सोनेके आभूषणोंसे सजाया गया हो
sañjaya uvāca |
aśvān agrayān pāṇḍurābhra-prakāśān puṣṭān sanātān mantra-pūtābhir adbhiḥ |
taptair bhāṇḍaiḥ kāñcanair abhyupetān śīghrān śīghraṃ sūta-putrānayasva ||
Sañjaya said: “O son of a charioteer, quickly bring me the finest horses—swift and enduring—bright as pale clouds, bathed in water sanctified by mantras, strong and well-nourished, and adorned with heated golden trappings.” In the war’s urgency, the command highlights how royal power mobilizes resources at once, while also showing the ritualized ideal of purity and auspiciousness even amid impending violence.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in a battlefield setting, the verse reflects a cultural ethic that power and action should be accompanied by auspicious preparation—strength and speed are valued, yet they are framed through ideals of purity, order, and proper equipment.
A commander issues an urgent order to a charioteer’s son to fetch the best, swiftest horses—white and radiant, ritually bathed, strong, and fitted with golden gear—signaling immediate mobilization for the next phase of combat.