Shloka 11

Devanagari script

एष शल्यो रथोपस्थे रश्मिसंचारकोविद: । सूतपुत्ररर्ं कृष्ण वाहयन्‌ बहु शोभते,श्रीकृष्ण! घोड़ोंकी बागडोरका संचालन करनेकी कलामें कुशल ये राजा शल्य रथके निचले भागमें बैठकर सूतपुत्रका रथ हाँकते हुए बड़ी शोभा पाते हैं

Transliteration

eṣa śalyo rathopasthe raśmisañcārakovidaḥ | sūtaputrasya kṛṣṇa vāhayan bahu śobhate ||

Translation

Арджуна сказал: «Смотри — царь Шалья, искусный в управлении поводьями, сидит на нижнем месте колесницы. О Кришна, ведя колесницу сына возничего (Карны), он кажется необычайно блистательным».

Word by Word

एषःthis (man)

शल्यःShalya

रथोपस्थेon/in the chariot-seat (chariot-platform)

रश्मि-संचारक-कोविदःskilled in handling the reins

सूतपुत्रम्the charioteer’s son (Karna)

कृष्णःKrishna

वाहयन्driving (conveying)

बहुgreatly, much

शोभतेshines, appears splendid

श्रीकृष्णO Shri Krishna!

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Arjuna

Kṛṣṇa

Śalya

Karna (as Sūtaputra)

chariot

reins

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 contrast between outward glory and the moral complexity of war: even a great king may be placed in a subordinate role, and apparent splendor can coexist with compromised agency and conflicted loyalties—an implicit reminder to evaluate actions by dharma rather than by display.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna points out to Kṛṣṇa that King Śalya, famed and capable, is seated on Karna’s chariot and expertly managing the reins as Karna’s charioteer, appearing impressive in that role.