Shloka 23

भीष्मसेनासंनिवेशः — Bhīṣma’s Mobilization, Omens, and the Kaurava Array

Devanagari script

तेषामपि महोत्सेधा: शोभयन्तो रथोत्तमान्‌

Transliteration

teṣām api mahotsedhāḥ śobhayanto rathottamān

Translation

ಅವರಲ್ಲಿಯೂ ಕೆಲ ಮಹೋತ್ಸಾಹಿ ವೀರರು ತಮ್ಮ ಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠ ರಥಗಳನ್ನು ಅಲಂಕರಿಸುತ್ತಾ ವಿಶೇಷವಾಗಿ ಪ್ರಕಾಶಿಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದರು.

Word by Word

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

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

• महोत्सेधाः: of great height/lofty
• महोत्सेधाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महोत्सेध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• शोभयन्तः: adorning/beautifying
• शोभयन्तः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: शुभ्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Plural, Parasmaipada (active)

• रथोत्तमान्: the best chariots
• रथोत्तमान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथोत्तम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• chariots (ratha)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the intoxicating force of martial pride and display: external splendor—fine chariots and confident bearing—can magnify courage but also intensify ego, a key ethical tension in the war narrative.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya continues describing the assembled warriors and their battle-ready appearance, noting that some, filled with high spirit, made their excellent chariots look even more splendid as the armies prepared for combat.