Shloka 20
Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 114 — Karṇa–Bhīmasena Missile Exchange, Disarmament, and Arjuna’s Intervention
एते रुक्मरथा नाम राजपुत्रा महारथा: । रथेष्वस्त्रेषु निपुणा नागेषु च विशाम्पते
ete rukmarathā nāma rājaputrā mahārathāḥ | ratheṣv astreṣu nipuṇā nāgeṣu ca viśāmpate ||
サンジャヤは言った。「民の主よ、これらは『ルクマラタ』と呼ばれる王子たち、偉大なる車戦の勇士である。戦車と武器の扱いに巧みで、戦象の用い方にも通じている。」
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the Kṣatriya ideal of disciplined martial competence—mastery of multiple arms (chariot, weapons, elephants). Ethically, it underscores that power in war is tied to training and responsibility, not merely birth or claim.
Sañjaya continues his battlefield report to Dhṛtarāṣṭra, identifying a group of royal princes called the Rukmarathas and describing their status as elite warriors proficient in chariot-fighting, weapon-use, and elephant warfare.