Shloka 643

Devanagari script

हतो रथाग्रादपतत्‌ स रुग्ण: परश्वधै: शाल इवावकृत्त: | वह राजकुमार मस्तक, भुजा, घोड़े, सारथि, धनुष और ध्वजसे रहित हो मरकर रथके अग्रभागसे नीचे गिर पड़ा, मानो फरसोंसे काटा गया शालवृक्ष टूटकर धराशायी हो गया हो

Transliteration

hato rathāgrād apatat sa rugṇaḥ paraśvadhaiḥ śāla ivāvakṛttaḥ |

Translation

سنجے نے کہا— وہ راجکمار سر، بازو، گھوڑوں، سارتھی، کمان اور دھوج سے محروم ہو کر مارا گیا اور رتھ کے اگلے حصے سے نیچے آ گرا؛ گویا کلہاڑیوں سے کٹا ہوا شال کا درخت ٹوٹ کر زمین پر ڈھیر ہو گیا ہو۔

Word by Word

हतःslain

रथाग्रात्from the front of the chariot

अपतत्fell down

सःhe

रुग्णःbroken, shattered

परश्वधैःwith axes

शालःa śāla tree

इवas if, like

अवकृत्तःcut down

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

chariot (ratha)

axes (paraśvadha)

śāla tree (śāla-vṛkṣa)

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 impermanence of worldly power and martial glory: even a prince-like warrior, supported by chariot, weapons, and emblems, can be felled instantly. The ethical undertone is a sober reminder of karma and the fragility of embodied life amid violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that a warrior has been killed and falls from the front of his chariot. The fall is compared to a strong śāla tree cut down by axes, emphasizing the sudden, heavy collapse that follows a fatal blow.