Mahabharata 9.23.62 — Shalya Parva, Adhyaya 23, Shloka 62

Chapter 23: Śakuni Reports, Kaurava Advance, and Arjuna’s Penetration of the Host

Devanagari script

रथानेव रथा यान्तु कुञ्जरा: कुड्जरानपि | प्रतियातो हि शकुनि: स्वमनीकमवस्थित:

Transliteration

rathāneva rathā yāntu kuñjarāḥ kuñjarān api | pratiyāto hi śakuniḥ svamanīkam avasthitaḥ ||

Translation

サञ्जयは語った。「戦車は戦車に向かわせ、象は象に当てよ。スバラの子シャクニはすでに引き返し、今は自軍の部隊を整然と布陣させて立っているのだ。」

Word by Word

• रथान्: chariots
• रथान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• इव: like/as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• रथाः: chariots
• रथाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• यान्तु: let (them) go
• Type: Verb
• Root: या
• Form: Imperative, 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• कुञ्जराः: elephants
• कुञ्जराः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुञ्जर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• कुड्जरान्: elephants
• कुड्जरान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुड्जर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• प्रतियातः: returned/gone back
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रतिया
• Form: Past passive participle (kta), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• हि: indeed/for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• शकुनिः: Shakuni
• शकुनिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शकुनि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• स्वम्: his own
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अनीकम्: army/host
• अनीकम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनीक
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अवस्थितः: stood/was stationed
• Type: Verb
• Root: अवस्था
• Form: Past active participle (kta) from अव-स्था, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Śakuni
• ratha (chariots)
• kuñjara (elephants)
• manīka (military division/array)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights disciplined warfare: units should meet their counterparts (chariots with chariots, elephants with elephants), emphasizing order, coordination, and tactical clarity rather than chaotic violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports battlefield movements: the fighting is being organized by matching arms against similar arms, and Śakuni has returned to the field and is now stationed with his own contingent arranged and ready.