Shloka 38

शल्यस्य पाण्डवसेनापीडनम् — Śalya’s Assault on the Pāṇḍava Host

with Omens and Bhīma’s Counter

Devanagari script

स रथे5तिरथस्तिष्ठन्‌ रथशक्ति परामृशत्‌

Transliteration

sa rathe 'tirathas tiṣṭhan rathaśaktiṃ parāmṛśat

Translation

Sanjaya nói: Đứng vững trên chiến xa như một bậc dũng tướng, ông nắm lấy ngọn lao của chiến xa, sẵn sàng cho đòn quyết định kế tiếp giữa những bổn phận không ngơi của chiến trận.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• रथे: in/on the chariot
• रथे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• अतिरथः: a great chariot-warrior
• अतिरथः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिरथ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तिष्ठन्: standing
• तिष्ठन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (तिष्ठ)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, शतृ (present active participle)

• रथशक्तिम्: a chariot-spear (shakti weapon)
• रथशक्तिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथशक्ति
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• परामृशत्: touched/laid hold of
• Type: Verb
• Root: परामृश्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• संजय (Sañjaya)
• रथ (chariot)
• रथशक्ति (chariot-spear/javelin)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the kṣatriya ethic of preparedness and resolve: in the chaos of war, a warrior must remain steady, choose the appropriate weapon, and act decisively—discipline and readiness being central to martial dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya narrates that a leading warrior, standing on his chariot, takes up a rathaśakti (a chariot-spear/javelin), signaling an imminent attack or a critical turn in the ongoing combat.