Shloka 49

Devanagari script

।। सवेपथून्‌ हयान्‌ पश्य महाकायान्‌ महाजवान्‌

Transliteration

savepathūn hayān paśya mahākāyān mahājavān

Translation

ਸੰਜਯ ਬੋਲਿਆ— “ਵੇਖੋ, ਉਹ ਘੋੜੇ ਕੰਬ ਰਹੇ ਹਨ—ਪਰ ਦੇਹ ਵਿੱਚ ਵਿਸ਼ਾਲ ਅਤੇ ਵੇਗ ਵਿੱਚ ਮਹਾਨ ਹਨ।”

Word by Word

• सवेपथून्: trembling, shaking
• सवेपथून्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-वेपथ (वेपथ)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• हयान्: horses
• हयान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: हय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• पश्य: see, behold
• पश्य: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• महाकायान्: huge-bodied, very large
• महाकायान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाकाय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• महाजवान्: very swift
• महाजवान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाजव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• horses (hayāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even the strongest instruments of war—swift, powerful horses—can tremble under the pressure of adharma-driven conflict; the verse underscores the psychological reality of battle and the fragility beneath outward might.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya, narrating the battlefield to Dhṛtarāṣṭra, draws attention to the war-horses: though large and fast, they are visibly shaking, signaling the intensity and terror of the ongoing combat.