Shloka 14

Devanagari script

चतुस्त्रिंशत्सहस्रनाणि रथानामनिवर्तिनाम्‌ | संशप्तका युद्धशौण्डा वाम॑ पार्श्वरपालयन्‌

Transliteration

catuḥstriṁśatsahasrāṇi rathānām anivartinām | saṁśaptakā yuddhaśauṇḍā vām̐ pārśvarapālayan

Translation

Санджая сказал: Тридцать четыре тысячи колесниц воинов, не знающих отступления, — самшаптаков, свирепых и гордых в бою, — охраняли левый фланг.

Word by Word

चतुःत्रिंशत्सहस्राणिthirty-two thousand

रथानाम्of chariots

अनिवर्तिनाम्of the unretreating (unyielding)

संशप्तकाःthe Saṁśaptakas (a vowed band of warriors)

युद्धशौण्डाःbattle-fierce, war-mad

वामम्the left (side/flank)

पार्श्वम्flank, side

रपालयन्they protected/guarded

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sanjaya

Saṁśaptakas

chariots (ratha)

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 disciplined steadfastness in the performance of assigned duty: in war, those known for not retreating are stationed to protect a flank, showing how resolve and commitment (often reinforced by vows) are treated as strategic and moral resources—though deployed within a tragic, ethically complex conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya describes the battlefield disposition: a large contingent—thirty-four thousand chariot forces identified as the Saṁśaptakas—are placed to guard the left side of the army, emphasizing their reputation for fierce, unyielding combat.