Shloka 3

Devanagari script

रथं तु दिव्यं कौन्तेय: सर्वा विभ्राजयन्‌ दिश: । मन्त्र जिज्ञासमान: सन्‌ बीभत्सु: समयोजयत्‌

Transliteration

rathaṃ tu divyaṃ kaunteyaḥ sarvā vibhrajayan diśaḥ | mantra-jijñāsamānaḥ san bībhatsuḥ samayojayat |

Translation

Sañjaya thưa: “Rồi Bībhatsu (Arjuna), con của Kuntī, sắp đặt cỗ chiến xa thần diệu rực sáng khắp bốn phương. Chàng làm việc ấy với tâm trí chuyên chú muốn thấu hiểu các thần chú thiêng—tự rèn mình bằng kỷ luật để bước vào công việc hệ trọng phía trước.”

Word by Word

रथम्chariot

तुbut/indeed

दिव्यम्divine, celestial

कौन्तेयःson of Kuntī (Arjuna)

सर्वाःall

विभ्राजयन्making (them) shine, illuminating

दिशःdirections, quarters

मन्त्रान्mantras, sacred formulas

जिज्ञासमानःdesiring to know, inquiring

सन्being

बीभत्सुःBībhatsu (Arjuna)

समयोजयत्yoked, harnessed, joined

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Arjuna (Kaunteya, Bībhatsu)

divine chariot (ratha)

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 disciplined readiness: before entering a righteous but perilous undertaking, one should prepare carefully and seek right understanding (jijñāsā) rather than acting blindly—linking martial duty with reverence for knowledge and order.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates that Arjuna (Bībhatsu), intent on grasping the relevant mantras/counsels, readies and yokes the divine chariot whose radiance seems to illuminate all directions—signaling imminent action and heightened solemnity.