Mahabharata 9.14.7 — Shalya Parva, Adhyaya 14, Shloka 7

Adhyāya 14: Śalya’s Missile-Pressure and the Pāṇḍava Convergence (शल्यस्य शरवर्षम्)

Devanagari script

कूबरं रथचक्राणि ईषा योक्‍्त्राणि वा विभो

Transliteration

kūbaraṃ rathacakrāṇi īṣā yoktrāṇi vā vibho

Translation

സഞ്ജയൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ഹേ വിഭോ, അവിടെ രഥത്തിന്റെ കൂബരം, രഥചക്രങ്ങൾ, ഈഷ, യോക്ത്രങ്ങൾ—എല്ലാം വീണുകിടന്നു. യുദ്ധഭൂമിയുടെ കഠിനാനന്തരത്തിൽ പോരിന്റെ ഉപകരണങ്ങൾ തകർന്നു ചിതറിക്കിടന്നത്, ധർമ്മം പരീക്ഷിക്കപ്പെടുമ്പോൾ യുദ്ധശക്തിയുടെ ഭംഗിയും ക്ഷണഭംഗുരമാണെന്നു സൂചിപ്പിക്കുന്നതുപോലെ.

Word by Word

• कूबरम्: the pole/shaft (of a chariot)
• कूबरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूबर
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• रथचक्राणि: chariot-wheels
• रथचक्राणि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथचक्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• ईषा: the yoke-pole/drawbar
• ईषा: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईषा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• योक्त्राणि: yoke-straps/fastenings
• योक्त्राणि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: योक्त्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• विभो: O mighty one
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• chariot (ratha)
• chariot wheels (cakra)
• kūbara (chariot pole-box)
• īṣā (axle-pole/shaft)
• yoktra (harness-straps)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how the material supports of power—chariots, wheels, harness—can be reduced to wreckage in war, reminding the listener that prowess and equipment are impermanent; dharma must be upheld with discernment, not mere reliance on force.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya is describing battlefield details to the listener, listing scattered or damaged chariot components—kūbara, wheels, axle/shaft, and harness—suggesting the aftermath of intense fighting and the breakdown of war-machinery.