Shloka 48

Devanagari script

य एष तु रथानीके सुवर्णकवचावृत: । सेनाग्रयेण तृतीयेन व्यावहार्येण तिछति,यह जो रथियोंकी सेनामें सोनेका कवच धारण किये तीसरी काम देने योग्य (बिना थकी-मादी) सेनाके साथ विराजमान है, जिसकी ध्वजाके अग्रभागमें नागका चिह्न है और सोनेकी पताका फहरा रही है, यह धृतराष्ट्रपुत्र श्रीमान्‌ राजा सुयोधन है

Transliteration

arjuna uvāca | ya eṣa tu rathānīke suvarṇakavacāvṛtaḥ | senāgrayeṇa tṛtīyena vyāvahāryeṇa tiṣṭhati |

Translation

ರಥಸೈನ್ಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಸ್ವರ್ಣಕವಚ ಧರಿಸಿ, ಮೂರನೆಯ—ಕಾರ್ಯಸಾಧ್ಯವಾದ ಮುಂಚೂಣಿ ವಿಭಾಗದೊಂದಿಗೆ ನಿಂತಿರುವವನು ಧೃತರಾಷ್ಟ್ರನ ಶ್ರೀಮಂತ ಪುತ್ರ ರಾಜ ಸುಯೋಧನ.

Word by Word

यःwho

एषःthis (man)

तुbut/indeed

रथ-अनीकेin the chariot-division/among the charioteers' array

सुवर्ण-कवच-आवृतःcovered with a golden armor

सेना-अग्रयेणwith the vanguard of the army

तृतीयेनas the third (division)

व्यावहार्येणfit for action/serviceable

तिष्ठतिstands/is stationed

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Arjuna

Suyodhana (Duryodhana)

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

chariot-corps (rathānīka)

golden armour (suvarṇa-kavaca)

vanguard division (senāgra)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights discernment and situational awareness in dharmic conflict: leaders are identified not by rhetoric but by their position, preparedness, and responsibility within the army—implying accountability of command in war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna points out and identifies Suyodhana (Duryodhana) on the battlefield formation, describing him as stationed among the chariot troops, clad in golden armour, and placed with a forward, ready division—marking him as a principal figure in the opposing force.