Shloka 127

Devanagari script

ततोडश्वाः प्राद्रवंस्तृर्ण मोहिते रथसारथौ

Transliteration

tato 'śvāḥ prādravan tṛṇa-mohite ratha-sārathau

Translation

サञ्जयは言った。すると馬たちは一斉に駆け出した。御者が惑乱し—ただ一筋の草にでも心を奪われたかのように注意を逸らして—戦場の騒乱の中で戦車の制御を失ったのである。

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात् अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय

• अश्वाः: horses
• अश्वाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्व
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• प्राद्रवन्: ran forth, bolted
• Type: Verb
• Root: द्रु (द्रवति)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• तृण्ण: grass (reading uncertain)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृण्ण (पाठभेद/अस्पष्ट; सम्भाव्यः तृणम्/तृणैः)
• Form: अस्पष्ट (पाठदोषसम्भावना)

• मोहिते: when (the charioteer) was bewildered
• मोहिते: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मोहित (√मुह् + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (रथसारथौ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्; पाठानुसारं विभक्त्यसाम्यं)

• रथसारथौ: in/when the charioteer (of the chariot)
• रथसारथौ: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथसारथि
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (रथसारथौ = रथसारथौ/रथसारथौ इति पाठरूपम्; सामान्यरूपेण रथसारथौ इत्यत्र औ-प्रत्ययः)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• horses
• chariot
• charioteer

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in a righteous or heroic endeavor, a moment of moha (bewilderment) can undo discipline and control; the verse highlights how negligence or distraction—likened to being overcome by something as trivial as grass—can have immediate consequences in war.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the midst of the battle, the charioteer becomes confused or distracted, and as a result the horses surge forward uncontrollably, indicating a sudden breakdown of command over the chariot at a critical moment.