Shloka 53

Śalya’s Objection to Sārathya and Duryodhana’s Conciliation (शल्यमन्यु-प्रशमनम् / Sārathyāṅgīkāra)

Devanagari script

आरुरोह रथं चापि सूतपुत्रप्रतापित: । निः:श्वसन्‌ दुःखसंतप्त: कुम्भस्थ इव पन्नग:

Transliteration

āruroha rathaṃ cāpi sūtaputra-pratāpitaḥ | niḥśvasan duḥkha-saṃtaptaḥ kumbha-stha iva pannagaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya thưa: Bị con trai người đánh xe (Karṇa) dày vò, lòng cháy bỏng vì sầu khổ, chàng cũng leo lên chiến xa—thở dài từng hơi dài như con rắn bị nhốt trong vò. Hình ảnh ấy khắc họa sức ép đạo lý của chiến trường: vẻ điềm tĩnh bên ngoài của một chiến sĩ bị căng kéo bởi nỗi đau và nhục hờn bên trong, song bổn phận vẫn thúc ép phải tiếp tục.

Word by Word

• आरुरोह: mounted/ascended
• आरुरोह: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-रुह्
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत), 3, singular, परस्मैपद

• रथम्: chariot
• रथम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

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

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• सूतपुत्रप्रतापितः: tormented by the charioteer’s son (Karna)
• सूतपुत्रप्रतापितः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सूतपुत्र-प्रतापित
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• निःश्वसन्: breathing out/sighing
• निःश्वसन्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि-श्वस् (श्वस्)
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular, शतृ (present active participle)

• दुःखसंतप्तः: afflicted by sorrow
• दुःखसंतप्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुःख-संतप्त
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• कुम्भस्थः: situated in a jar/pot
• कुम्भस्थः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुम्भ-स्थ
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• इव: like/as if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• पन्नगः: serpent
• पन्नगः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पन्नग
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Karna (Sūtaputra)
• chariot (ratha)
• jar/pot (kumbha)
• serpent (pannaga)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the inner cost of conflict: even a warrior bound to act by role and duty may be inwardly seared by grief and insult. The ethical tension lies in maintaining resolve while acknowledging suffering rather than denying it.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a warrior—oppressed by Karṇa—mounting a chariot while exhaling in distress. The simile of a snake trapped in a jar conveys constrained fury, pain, and helplessness amid the ongoing battle.