Shloka 236

Śalya–Yudhiṣṭhira Duel and the Discharge of the Śakti (शल्यवधप्रसङ्गः)

Devanagari script

संसज्जन्तु रथे क्षिप्रं शास्त्रवद्‌ रथयोजका: । “अतः रथ जोतनेवाले लोग शीघ्र ही मेरे रथपर शास्त्रीय विधिके अनुसार अधिक-से- अधिक शस्त्र तथा अन्य सब आवश्यक सामग्री सजाकर रख दें

Transliteration

saṃsajjantu rathe kṣipraṃ śāstravad rathayojakāḥ |

Translation

Sañjaya said: “Let the charioteers quickly make my chariot ready in accordance with the prescribed rules—fitting it out with the proper equipment and all necessary implements.” The line underscores disciplined preparedness in war: even amid urgency, action is to be carried out according to established procedure rather than impulse.

Word by Word

• संसज्जन्तु: let (them) equip/prepare
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + सज्ज्
• Form: Lot, Parasmaipada, 3, Plural

• रथे: on/in the chariot
• रथे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• क्षिप्रम्: quickly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्षिप्र

• शास्त्रवत्: according to the treatises/rules
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शास्त्रवत्

• रथयोजकाः: chariot-fitters / chariot-harnessers
• रथयोजकाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथयोजक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• chariot (ratha)
• chariot-fitters/charioteers (rathayojakāḥ)
• śāstra (prescribed rules)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in urgent wartime moments, one should act with discipline and according to established norms (śāstravat), emphasizing orderly duty over haste-driven disorder.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports an instruction to the chariot attendants: the chariot is to be quickly outfitted and made ready, following proper procedural standards.