Shloka 66

रथश्न विहितोस्माभिरवविंचित्रायुधसंवृत: । सारथिं च न जानीम: क: स्यात्‌ तस्मिन्‌ रथोत्तमे,“हमने उनके लिये विचित्र आयुधोंसे सम्पन्न रथ तैयार कर दिया है; परंतु उस उत्तम रथपर कौन सारथि होकर बैठेगा? यह हम नहीं जानते हैं'

rathaś ca vihito 'smābhir avavicitrāyudhasaṃvṛtaḥ | sārathiṃ ca na jānīmaḥ kaḥ syāt tasmin rathottame ||

ドゥルヨーダナは言った。「われらは、奇妙なる武器の数々を備え、守りを固めた戦車をすでに整えました。だが、その最上の戦車に御者として座すのは誰か——それをわれらは知りません。」

रथम्chariot
रथम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootरथ
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
विहितःprepared/arranged
विहितः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootवि-धा (धातु: धा)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular, kta (past passive participle)
अस्माभिःby us
अस्माभिः:
Karana
TypePronoun
Rootअस्मद्
Form—, Instrumental, Plural
अवdown/away (preverb; here with √वृ/√वृञ in sense of 'covered/surrounded')
अव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअव
विचित्रvarious/strange
विचित्र:
Karana
TypeAdjective
Rootविचित्र
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Plural
आयुधweapons
आयुध:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootआयुध
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Plural
संवृतःcovered/surrounded/equipped
संवृतः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootसम्-√वृ (वृञ् आवरणे)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular, kta (past passive participle)
सारथिम्charioteer
सारथिम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootसारथि
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
जानीमःwe know
जानीमः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Root√ज्ञा
FormPresent (Lat), First, Plural, Parasmaipada
कःwho
कः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootकिम्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
स्यात्might be / should be
स्यात्:
TypeVerb
Root√अस्
FormOptative (Vidhi-lin), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada
तस्मिन्on/in that
तस्मिन्:
Adhikarana
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular
रथोत्तमेon the best chariot
रथोत्तमे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootरथ-उत्तम
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular

दुर्योधन उवाच

D
Duryodhana
C
chariot (ratha)
C
charioteer (sārathi)
W
weapons (āyudha)

Educational Q&A

Material readiness—arms, armor, and an excellent chariot—does not by itself secure success; effective action in war also depends on competent guidance and coordination. The verse highlights the ethical and practical weight of choosing the right sārathi: leadership is not merely possession of resources but the wise deployment of them through capable persons.

In the Karṇa Parva context, Duryodhana speaks about having arranged a superb, weapon-laden chariot for a key warrior, but admits uncertainty about who will serve as its charioteer. The line reflects a moment of logistical and strategic concern within the Kaurava camp, where the availability of a suitable sārathi becomes crucial to battlefield effectiveness.