Shloka 53

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

Gāṇḍīva-Nirghoṣa Episode

Devanagari script

प्रदक्षिणमुपावृत्य मण्डलं सव्यमेव च । अश्वविद्यामें प्रवीण विराटपुत्रने पहले कौरवसेनाके समीप जाकर उन वायुके समान वेगशाली घोड़ोंको पुनः लौटाया और दाँयीं ओरसे घुमाकर बाँयीं ओर बढ़ा दिया

Transliteration

pradakṣiṇam upāvṛtya maṇḍalaṃ savyam eva ca |

Translation

ครั้นเวียนรถไปทางขวาและจัดวงเวียนไปทางซ้ายด้วย เจ้าชายแห่งวิราฏะผู้ชำนาญศาสตร์แห่งม้าได้เข้าประชิดกองทัพเการพก่อน แล้วหันม้าอันเร็วประดุจลมให้ย้อนกลับอีกครั้ง จากนั้นจึงบังคับจากด้านขวาให้เคลื่อนไปทางซ้าย

Word by Word

• प्रदक्षिणम्: clockwise; to the right
• प्रदक्षिणम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रदक्षिण

• उपावृत्य: having turned/returned
• उपावृत्य: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-आ-वृत्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), parasmaipada (usage)

• मण्डलम्: circle; circuit
• मण्डलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मण्डल
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• सव्यम्: left (side)
• सव्यम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सव्य
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• एव: indeed; just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Virāṭa-putra (prince of Virāṭa)
• Kaurava army
• horses (wind-swift steeds)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores that battlefield success depends on disciplined technique and mental steadiness. Martial prowess (especially horsemanship and turning maneuvers) is ethically framed as controlled courage—skill used with awareness rather than impulsive aggression.

What is happening in the narrative?

The prince of Virāṭa, expert in horsemanship, rides up near the Kaurava forces, brings the swift horses back under control, and executes a tactical turn—circling and redirecting the team from right to left—indicating a deliberate maneuver in the midst of combat movement.