Shloka 38
जयद्रथवधः — The Slaying of Jayadratha
Sunset Vow and Curse-Condition
Devanagari script
ते पिबन्त इवाकाशं युयुधानं हयोत्तमा:
Transliteration
te pibanta ivākāśaṃ yuyudhānaṃ hayottamāḥ
Translation
ಆ ಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠ ಕುದುರೆಗಳು ಆಕಾಶವನ್ನೇ ಕುಡಿಯುವಂತಾಗಿ, ಯುಯುಧಾನನನ್ನು ಮಹಾವೇಗದಿಂದ ಮುಂದಕ್ಕೆ ಹೊತ್ತುಕೊಂಡು ಹೋದವು.
Word by Word
तेthey
ते:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
पिबन्तिdrink
पिबन्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootपा (पिबति)
FormPresent, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada
इवas if / like
इव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव
आकाशम्the sky
आकाशम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootआकाश
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
युयुधानम्Yuyudhāna (Sātyaki)
युयुधानम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootयुयुधान
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
हयोत्तमाःexcellent horses / best of horses
हयोत्तमाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootहयोत्तम
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
Speaker
संजय उवाच
Characters & Entities
S
SañjayaY
Yuyudhāna (Sātyaki)H
horses (steeds)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Cross References
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse uses a vivid simile—horses 'drinking the sky'—to convey overwhelming speed and force. Ethically, it hints at how power and momentum in war can seem to consume all space for deliberation, reminding readers that even dazzling prowess must be weighed against dharma and restraint.
Sañjaya describes Yuyudhāna’s advance in battle: he is carried by superb horses moving so swiftly that it appears they are swallowing the open sky ahead of them.