Shloka 37

Devanagari script

सारथ्य॑ं तु त्वया कार्यमिति मे मानसं सदा । चिररात्रेप्सितं काम॑ तद्‌ भवान्‌ कर्तुमहति,मेरे मनमें बहुत दिनोंसे यह अभिलाषा थी कि आपको अपना सारथि बनाऊँ--अपने जीवनरथकी बागडोर आपके हाथोंमें सौंप दूँ। मेरी इस चिरकालिक अभिलाषाको आप पूर्ण करें

Transliteration

sārathyaṁ tu tvayā kāryam iti me mānasaṁ sadā | cirarātrepsitaṁ kāmaṁ tad bhavān kartum arhati ||

Translation

ارجن نے کہا—“آپ ہی کو میرا سارتھی بننا ہے—یہ میرے دل کا ہمیشہ کا عزم ہے۔ بہت سی راتوں سے، مدتِ دراز سے جو آرزو میں نے سینے میں بسائے رکھی ہے، مہربانی فرما کر آپ اسے پورا کریں۔”

Word by Word

सारथ्यम्charioteership, the role of charioteer

तुbut/indeed

त्वयाby you

कार्यम्to be done, ought to be done

इतिthus (quotative)

मेof me / my

मानसम्mind, mental resolve

सदाalways

चिररात्रेfor a long time (lit. in a long night)

ईप्सितम्desired, longed-for

कामम्wish, desire

तत्that (thing)

भवान्you (honorific)

कर्तुम्to do, to make

अर्हतिis worthy/pleased to, should

Speaker

अर्जुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Arjuna

charioteer (sārathi)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights deliberate surrender of one’s ‘life-chariot’ to a trusted, worthy guide: ethical action in crisis is strengthened when the agent seeks right counsel and places responsibility under higher wisdom rather than ego or impulse.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna respectfully addresses the person he wants as his charioteer, stating that this has been his long-cherished wish and asking that it be granted—an important step in preparing for the coming confrontation.