Shloka 30

Devanagari script

तौ मण्डलानि चित्राणि रथाभ्यां सव्यदक्षिणम्‌ । चरमाणावयुध्येतां रथशिक्षाविशारदौ,रथयुद्धकी शिक्षामें निपुण वे दोनों योद्धा अपने रथोंद्वारा दायें-बायें विचित्र मण्डलाकार गतिसे विचरते हुए युद्ध करने लगे

Transliteration

tau maṇḍalāni citrāṇi rathābhyāṃ savyadakṣiṇam | caramāṇāv ayudhyetāṃ rathaśikṣāviśāradau ||

Translation

ರಥಯುದ್ಧದ ವಿದ್ಯೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ನಿಪುಣರಾದ ಆ ಇಬ್ಬರು ಯೋಧರು ತಮ್ಮ ರಥಗಳಿಂದ ಎಡ-ಬಲಕ್ಕೆ ವಿಚಿತ್ರ ವಲಯಾಕಾರದ ಚಲನೆಗಳನ್ನು ಮಾಡುತ್ತಾ ಸುತ್ತುತ್ತಾ ಯುದ್ಧಕ್ಕೆ ತೊಡಗಿದರು.

Word by Word

तौthose two

मण्डलानिcircles/orbits (circular maneuvers)

चित्राणिvariegated, wondrous

रथाभ्याम्by (their) two chariots

सव्यदक्षिणम्to the left and right (alternately)

चरमाणौmoving about, circling

अयुध्येताम्they two fought

रथशिक्षाविशारदौboth skilled in chariot-training (charioteering)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

two chariots

two warriors (unnamed in this verse)

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

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights disciplined skill in warfare: even amid destructive conflict, mastery is shown through controlled movement, trained technique, and strategic circling rather than reckless aggression.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes two opposing chariot-warriors engaging each other by driving in intricate circular patterns, alternating left and right turns, demonstrating expert training in chariot-combat.