Shloka 15

Arjuna’s Concentrated Archery and the Rout of the Kaurava Mahārathas

Gāṇḍīva-Nirghoṣa Episode

Devanagari script

तौ रथौ सूर्यसंकाशौ योत्स्यमानौ महाबलौ | शारदाविव जीमूतौ व्यरोचेतां व्यवस्थितौ

Transliteration

tau rathau sūryasaṅkāśau yotsyamānau mahābalau | śāradāv iva jīmūtau vyarocetāṃ vyavasthitau ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana nói: Hai cỗ chiến xa rực rỡ như mặt trời, do những dũng sĩ đại lực điều khiển, đứng sẵn để giao tranh. Khi vào vị trí chiến đấu, hai anh hùng ấy tỏa sáng như đôi mây mùa thu—uy nghi và nặng điện thế của cuộc xung đột sắp bùng—báo hiệu đà nghiêm trọng của một cuộc chiến bị dharma thử thách.

Word by Word

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

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

• सूर्य-संकाशौ: sun-like, resembling the sun
• सूर्य-संकाशौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सूर्यसंकाश
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• योत्स्यमानौ: about to fight / fighting
• योत्स्यमानौ: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: युध्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual, Shatr (present active participle), Atmanepada usage in sense 'about to fight/engaged to fight'

• महाबलौ: very strong, mighty
• महाबलौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाबल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• शारदौ: autumnal
• शारदौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शारद
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• इव: like, as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• जीमूतौ: clouds
• जीमूतौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीमूत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• व्यरोचेताम्: they two shone forth
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + रुच्
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Dual, Parasmaipada

• व्यवस्थितौ: standing ready / stationed
• व्यवस्थितौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + अव + स्था (व्यवस्था) / व्यवस्थित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual, Past passive participle (kta) in adjectival use

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• two chariots
• sun
• autumn clouds

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the solemn grandeur of warriors standing ready for battle: outward splendor and power do not remove the ethical weight of conflict. The imagery suggests contained force—like autumn clouds—implying that war, even when conducted with valor, carries a charged moral atmosphere where dharma will be tested.

What is happening in the narrative?

Two mighty chariot-warriors take their positions, prepared to fight. The narrator (Vaiśampāyana) describes their brilliance and readiness through a vivid comparison: they look like two autumn clouds, impressive and ominously full, as the battle is about to begin.