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Shloka 38

Śālva’s Elephant Assault and the Counterstroke (शाल्वस्य नागारूढाभ्यवहारः)

तच्छुत्वा तव पुत्रस्य शूरार्यसदृशं वच: । सारथिहेंमसंछन्नान्‌ शनैरश्वानचोदयत्‌,राजन! आपके पुत्रका यह श्रेष्ठ वीरोचित वचन सुनकर सारथिने सोनेके साज-बाजसे सजे हुए घोड़ोंको धीरे-धीरे आगे बढ़ाया

tac chrutvā tava putrasya śūrāryasadṛśaṃ vacaḥ | sārathir hemasaṃchannān śanair aśvān acodayat, rājan |

സഞ്ജയൻ പറഞ്ഞു— രാജാവേ! നിന്റെ പുത്രന്റെ ആ ശ്രേഷ്ഠവും വീരോചിതവുമായ വാക്കുകൾ കേട്ടപ്പോൾ, സാരഥി സ്വർണ്ണാഭരണങ്ങളാൽ അലങ്കരിക്കപ്പെട്ട കുതിരകളെ പതുക്കെ മുന്നോട്ട് നീക്കി.

तत्that (speech/statement)
तत्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
श्रुत्वाhaving heard
श्रुत्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootश्रु (धातु)
Formक्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral here)
तवof you/your
तव:
TypePronoun
Rootयुष्मद्
Form—, Genitive, Singular
पुत्रस्यof (your) son
पुत्रस्य:
TypeNoun
Rootपुत्र
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
शूरheroic
शूर:
TypeAdjective
Rootशूर
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
आर्यnoble
आर्य:
TypeAdjective
Rootआर्य
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
सदृशम्similar/like
सदृशम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootसदृश
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
वचःspeech/words
वचः:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootवचस्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
सारथिःthe charioteer
सारथिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootसारथि
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
हेमgold
हेम:
TypeNoun (used as first member)
Rootहेम
FormNeuter, —, —
संछन्नान्covered/overlaid
संछन्नान्:
TypeAdjective
Rootसं-छद् (धातु) / छन्न (क्त)
Formक्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Accusative, Plural
शनैःslowly, gradually
शनैः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootशनैः
अश्वान्horses
अश्वान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootअश्व
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
अचोदयत्urged/drove (forward)
अचोदयत्:
TypeVerb
Rootचुद् (धातु)
FormImperfect (लङ्), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada
राजन्O king
राजन्:
TypeNoun (vocative)
Rootराजन्
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
D
Dhṛtarāṣṭra (addressed as rājan)
D
Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s son (contextually Duryodhana)
C
charioteer (sārathi)
H
horses (aśvāḥ)
G
golden trappings (hema-saṃchanna)

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights controlled martial conduct: even after hearing a rousing, noble call to action, the charioteer advances slowly and deliberately, implying discipline, coordination, and strategic restraint rather than impulsive aggression.

Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that, upon hearing the heroic words of the king’s son, the charioteer gently drives the gold-adorned horses forward, moving the chariot into position for the next phase of battle.