Shloka 9

धृतराष्ट्र-संजय-संवादः — इरावान्-आवन्त्ययोः युद्धम्, घटोत्कच-भगदत्त-संघर्षः, मद्रेश्वर-विक्षेपः

Dhṛtarāṣṭra–Sañjaya Dialogue: Irāvān vs the Avanti princes; Ghaṭotkaca vs Bhagadatta; Śalya checked by the Mādrī twins

Devanagari script

ये हाथी, घोड़े आदि सवारियोंपर चढ़ने, उतरने, आगे बढ़ने, बीचमें ही कूद पड़ने, अच्छी तरह प्रहार करने, चढ़ाई करने और पीछे हटनेमें भी प्रवीण हैं ।।

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | ye hastī-ghoḍādi-savāriṣu cāḍhane, avarohane, agrato gamane, madhye eva utplavane, samyak prahāre, ārohaṇe ca, apasaraṇe ca pravīṇāḥ | nāgāśva-ratha-yāneṣu bahuśaḥ suparīkṣitam | parīkṣya ca yathānyāyaṁ vetanena upapāditam |

Translation

Sañjaya nói: “Những chiến sĩ ấy tinh thông mọi thế trận gắn với việc cưỡi và điều khiển chiến mã—lên xuống voi ngựa, tiến lên, nhảy bổ vào đúng thời khắc then chốt, ra đòn hữu hiệu, xông lên dốc cao, và rút lui có trật tự. Tài nghệ của họ với voi, ngựa và chiến xa đã được thử thách nhiều lần; và sau khi xét định đúng phép, mỗi người đều được cấp bổng lộc xứng đáng theo lẽ công bằng.”

Word by Word

• नागाश्वरथयानेषु: in (matters of) elephant-, horse-, and chariot-vehicles
• नागाश्वरथयानेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग + अश्व + रथ + यान
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Plural

• बहुशः: many times; repeatedly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहुशस्

• सुपरीक्षितम्: well-tested; thoroughly examined
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + परि + √इक्ष् (इक्षते) → परीक्षित
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• परीक्ष्य: having examined; after testing
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + √इक्ष् (इक्षते)
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund)

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

• यथा: according to; as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• अन्यायम्: injustice; improper rule
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्याय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वेतनेन: by/with wages; with pay
• वेतनेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेतन
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• उपपादितम्: was provided/assigned; was duly arranged
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + √पद्/√पाद् (caus.) → उपपादित
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• elephants
• horses
• chariots
• the army (senā)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in war, order and fairness are emphasized: competence is verified through repeated testing, and remuneration is assigned according to merit and propriety (yathā-nyāyam), reflecting an ethic of disciplined duty rather than mere chaos or favoritism.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya is reporting to Dhṛtarāṣṭra about the army’s preparedness—its soldiers are proficient in mounted maneuvers with elephants, horses, and chariots, have been repeatedly tested, and have been duly assigned pay commensurate with their qualifications.