Shloka 19
Adhyāya 290: Kuntī’s Mantra-Parīkṣā and the Appearance of Sūrya (कुन्ती–सूर्यसंवादः)
Devanagari script
ततो हताश्चात् प्रस्कन्द्य रथात् स हतसारथि:
Transliteration
tato hatāś cāt praskandya rathāt sa hatasārathiḥ
Translation
やがて彼は意気消沈し、戦車から跳び降りた――御者はすでに討たれていた――それは戦場での優位が一挙に崩れ去ったしるしであった。
Word by Word
ततःthen; thereupon
ततः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतद्
FormAvyaya (ablatival adverb: 'from there/then')
हतःkilled; slain
हतः:
TypeAdjective
Rootहन्
FormMasculine, nominative, singular (past passive participle)
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
FormAvyaya
अत्then; thereupon
अत्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअत्
FormAvyaya (particle/adverb, often in the sense 'then/now/thereupon')
प्रस्कन्द्यhaving leapt down
प्रस्कन्द्य:
TypeVerb
Rootस्कन्द्
FormAbsolutive (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), from pra+skand: 'having leapt/jumped'
रथात्from the chariot
रथात्:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootरथ
FormMasculine, ablative, singular
सःhe
सः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, nominative, singular
हतसारथिःwhose charioteer was slain
हतसारथिः:
TypeAdjective
Rootहतसारथि
FormMasculine, nominative, singular (bahuvrihi-like adjectival usage: 'one whose charioteer is slain')
Speaker
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Characters & Entities
M
mārkaṇḍeya (speaker)R
ratha (chariot)S
sārathi (charioteer)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how swiftly fortune turns in battle: when a key support (the charioteer) is lost, even a warrior’s resolve can falter. It implicitly underscores dependence, vulnerability, and the ethical gravity of warfare where the fall of one person can unravel another’s capacity to act.
In Markandeya’s narration, a warrior—now without his charioteer—becomes despondent and abruptly jumps down from his chariot, indicating a critical turning point in the combat situation.