Shloka 23
भीष्मसेनासंनिवेशः — Bhīṣma’s Mobilization, Omens, and the Kaurava Array
Devanagari script
तेषामपि महोत्सेधा: शोभयन्तो रथोत्तमान्
Transliteration
teṣām api mahotsedhāḥ śobhayanto rathottamān
Translation
അവരിലുമെന്തോ ചില മഹോത്സാഹികളായ വീരർ തങ്ങളുടെ ഉത്തമ രഥങ്ങളെ ശോഭിപ്പിച്ചു പ്രത്യേകമായി തിളങ്ങി നിന്നു.
Word by Word
तेषाम्of them
तेषाम्:
Adhikarana
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural
अपिalso/even
अपि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि
महोत्सेधाःof great height/lofty
महोत्सेधाः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootमहोत्सेध
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
शोभयन्तःadorning/beautifying
शोभयन्तः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootशुभ्
Formशतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Plural, Parasmaipada (active)
रथोत्तमान्the best chariots
रथोत्तमान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootरथोत्तम
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
Speaker
संजय उवाच
Characters & Entities
S
SañjayaC
chariots (ratha)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
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.
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.