Shloka 15

Arjuna’s Concentrated Archery and the Rout of the Kaurava Mahārathas

Gāṇḍīva-Nirghoṣa Episode

Devanagari script

तौ रथौ सूर्यसंकाशौ योत्स्यमानौ महाबलौ | शारदाविव जीमूतौ व्यरोचेतां व्यवस्थितौ,वे दोनों महारथी बड़े पराक्रमी और सूर्यके समान तेजस्वी थे, अतः युद्ध करनेके लिये खड़े हुए वे दोनों वीर शरत्कालके दो मेघोंकी भाँति शोभा पाने लगे

Transliteration

tau rathau sūryasaṅkāśau yotsyamānau mahābalau | śāradāv iva jīmūtau vyarocetāṃ vyavasthitau ||

Translation

വൈശമ്പായനൻ പറഞ്ഞു—സൂര്യനെപ്പോലെ ദീപ്തമായ ആ രണ്ടു രഥങ്ങളും, മഹാബലമുള്ള രണ്ടു മഹാരഥന്മാരാൽ യുദ്ധത്തിനായി നിലയുറപ്പിച്ചു. തങ്ങളുടെ സ്ഥാനങ്ങളിൽ ഉറച്ചു നിന്ന അവർ ശരദ്കാലത്തിലെ ഇരട്ട മേഘങ്ങളെപ്പോലെ ശോഭിച്ചു.

Word by Word

तौthose two

रथौchariots

सूर्य-संकाशौsun-like, resembling the sun

योत्स्यमानौabout to fight / fighting

महाबलौvery strong, mighty

शारदौautumnal

इवlike, as

जीमूतौclouds

व्यरोचेताम्they two shone forth

व्यवस्थितौstanding ready / stationed

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

two chariots

sun

autumn clouds

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 the solemn grandeur of warriors standing ready for battle: outward splendor and power do not remove the ethical weight of conflict. The imagery suggests contained force—like autumn clouds—implying that war, even when conducted with valor, carries a charged moral atmosphere where dharma will be tested.

What is happening in the narrative?

Two mighty chariot-warriors take their positions, prepared to fight. The narrator (Vaiśampāyana) describes their brilliance and readiness through a vivid comparison: they look like two autumn clouds, impressive and ominously full, as the battle is about to begin.