Shloka 62

द्रोणवध-प्रश्नः

Droṇa’s Fall: Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Inquiry

Devanagari script

कलायपुष्पवर्णस्तु श्वेतलोहितराजय: । रथसेनं हयश्रेष्ठा: समूहुर्युद्धदुर्मदम्‌,जिनके रंग केरावके फ़ूलके समान हैं, जिनकी रोमराजि श्वेतलोहित वर्णकी है, ऐसे श्रेष्ठ घोड़ोंने रणदुर्मद रथसेनको संग्रामभूमिमें पहुँचाया

Transliteration

kālāyapuṣpavarṇas tu śvetalohitarājayaḥ | rathasenaṃ hayaśreṣṭhāḥ samūhur yuddhadurmadam ||

Translation

ସଞ୍ଜୟ କହିଲେ—କଲାୟ ପୁଷ୍ପ ପରି ବର୍ଣ୍ଣର, ଶ୍ୱେତ-ଲୋହିତ ରେଖାରେ ଚିହ୍ନିତ ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ ଅଶ୍ୱମାନେ ଯୁଦ୍ଧୋନ୍ମତ୍ତ ରଥସେନଙ୍କୁ ସଙ୍ଗ୍ରାମଭୂମିକୁ ପହଞ୍ଚାଇଲେ।

Word by Word

कलायपुष्पवर्णःhaving the color of a pea-flower

तुbut/indeed

श्वेतलोहितराजयःhaving white-and-red streaks/stripes (in the coat)

रथसेनम्Rathasena (proper name)

हयश्रेष्ठाःthe best horses

समूहुःcarried/conveyed

युद्धदुर्मदम्maddened by battle / battle-intoxicated

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Rathasena (Karṇa)

horses (hayaśreṣṭhāḥ)

battlefield/war (yuddha)

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 psychological force of yuddha-durmada—battle-intoxication—showing how martial pride and momentum can drive a warrior forward, a recurring ethical tension in the epic where valor often coexists with moral peril.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes Rathasena (Karṇa) being brought to the battlefield by superb horses distinguished by their flower-like coloration and white-red streaked markings.