Shloka 89

Devanagari script

रथौ तयो: श्वेतहयौ दिव्यौ युक्त महात्मनो: । यौ तौ कर्णार्जुनौ राजन प्रह्ृष्ावभ्यतिष्ठताम्‌

Transliteration

rathau tayoḥ śvetahayau divyau yuktau mahātmanoḥ | yau tau karṇārjunau rājan prahṛṣṭāv abhyatiṣṭhatām ||

Translation

Sañjaya nói: Tâu Đại vương, hai cỗ chiến xa nơi Karṇa và Arjuna đứng, lòng hăm hở xung trận, đều kỳ diệu và mang vẻ thiêng liêng; mỗi xe được thắng bằng những tuấn mã trắng và trang bị đầy đủ khí giới cần thiết—xứng đáng với hai bậc đại hồn ấy.

Word by Word

• रथौ: the two chariots
• रथौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• तयोः: of those two (of them)
• तयोः: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Dual

• श्वेतहयौ: the two white horses
• श्वेतहयौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वेतहय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• दिव्यौ: divine
• दिव्यौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• युक्तौ: yoked/attached (with)
• युक्तौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युक्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• महात्मनोः: of the two great-souled (heroes)
• महात्मनोः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Dual

• यौ: which two (who/that two)
• यौ: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• कर्णार्जुनौ: Karna and Arjuna
• कर्णार्जुनौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण + अर्जुन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• राजन्: O king
• राजन्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• प्रहृष्य: having rejoiced; exulting
• प्रहृष्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र + हृष्
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), -ya

• अभ्यतिष्ठताम्: they stood upon / mounted / took their stand
• अभ्यतिष्ठताम्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + स्था
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Dual, Parasmaipada

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Karṇa
• Arjuna
• two chariots
• white horses

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the epic motif that external preparedness—divine chariots, disciplined horses, complete equipment—reflects inner determination. Yet it also hints at the ethical gravity of war: splendid instruments of battle serve a conflict whose outcomes carry profound dharmic consequences.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra the battle-ready scene: Karṇa and Arjuna, exhilarated, take their stand on their respective chariots, which are portrayed as divine, well-equipped, and yoked with white horses—setting the stage for their climactic confrontation.