Shloka 7

Devanagari script

हताश्वात तु रथात्‌ तूर्णमवतीर्य महाभुज: । आरुरोह रथं भ्रातुरन्यच्च धनुराददे ७ ।। महाबाहु वृषक उस अश्वहीन रथसे शीघ्र उतरकर अपने भाई अचलके रथपर जा चढ़ा। फिर उसने अपने हाथमें दूसरा धनुष ले लिया

Transliteration

hatāśvāt tu rathāt tūṛṇam avatīrya mahābhujaḥ | ārurōha rathaṁ bhrātur anyac ca dhanur ādade || 7 ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: When his chariot had been deprived of horses, the mighty-armed warrior quickly descended from it, mounted his brother’s chariot, and then took up another bow—resolute to continue the fight despite the setback.

Word by Word

हताश्वात्from the horse-less (chariot)

तुbut/indeed

रथात्from the chariot

तूर्णम्quickly

अवतीर्यhaving descended

महाभुजःthe mighty-armed (one)

आरुरोहmounted/ascended

रथम्chariot

भ्रातुःof (his) brother

अन्यत्another

चand

धनुःbow

आददेtook/accepted

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Vṛṣaka (as indicated by the Hindi gloss)

his brother (unnamed here; gloss suggests Acala)

chariot (ratha)

bow (dhanuḥ)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid sudden loss in battle (a chariot rendered horseless), a warrior committed to his role does not collapse into despair; he adapts quickly and continues his duty with steadiness and resolve.

What is happening in the narrative?

A mighty warrior’s chariot loses its horses. He immediately dismounts, climbs onto his brother’s chariot, and arms himself with a different bow so he can re-enter combat without delay.