Shloka 18

Lokapāla-samāgamaḥ—Arjuna Receives Astras from the World-Guardians

Book 3, Chapter 42

Devanagari script

त्वयि प्रतिछ्ठिते साधो रथस्थे स्थिरवाजिनि । पश्चादहमथारो क्ष्ये सुकृती सत्प्ं यथा,साधु सारथे! आप इस रथपर स्थिरतापूर्वक बैठकर जब घोड़ोंको काबूमें कर लें, तब जैसे पुण्यात्मा सन्मार्गपर आरूढ़ होता है, उसी प्रकार पीछे मैं भी इस रथपर आखरूढ़ होऊँगा

Transliteration

tvayi pratiṣṭhite sādho rathasthe sthiravājini | paścād aham athāro(k)ṣye sukṛtī satpathaṃ yathā | sādhu sārathē ||

Translation

アルジュナは言った。「善き人よ、御者よ。汝が戦車に堅く座し、揺るがぬ馬どもを御してから、我は後より乗り込もう——徳ある者が正しき道を取り、その道を進むがごとく。見事だ、御者よ。」

Word by Word

त्वयिin/when you

प्रतिष्ठितेhaving taken position / being seated

साधोO good man

रथस्थेbeing on the chariot

स्थिरवाजिनिwith steady horses / having controlled horses

पश्चात्afterwards

अहम्I

अथthen

आरोक्ष्येI shall mount

सुकृतीa virtuous man

सत्पथम्the good path

यथाas, just as

साधुwell, properly

सारथेO charioteer

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Arjuna

charioteer (sārathi)

chariot (ratha)

horses (vājin)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Right action begins with order and self-control: first establish stability (the charioteer seated, horses restrained), then proceed—like a virtuous person who first takes up the true path and then advances on it.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna instructs the charioteer to mount and steady the chariot and horses first; only after the vehicle is secure will Arjuna himself climb aboard, praising the charioteer’s proper conduct.