Shloka 51

Devanagari script

गजाश्व रथसड्घाश्न बहुधा रथिभिहता: । रथाश्ष निहता नागैहयाश्रैव पदातिभि:

Transliteration

gajāśva-ratha-saṅghāś ca bahudhā rathibhir hatāḥ | rathāś ca nihatā nāgair hayāś caiva padātibhiḥ ||

Translation

三阇耶说道：以种种方式，象群、马群与战车阵列都被战车武士斩杀摧折。战车被大象撞碎，步兵又连同骑手一并击倒许多战马——显见在战斗的狂怒中，军中诸兵种皆既为猎者，亦为猎物。

Word by Word

• गजाः: elephants
• गजाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• अश्वाः: horses
• अश्वाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• रथ-सङ्घाः: masses/groups of chariots
• रथ-सङ्घाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथसङ्घ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

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

• बहुधा: in many ways / repeatedly / in many places
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहुधा

• रथिभिः: by chariot-warriors
• रथिभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथि
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• हताः: were slain / destroyed
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• रथाः: chariots
• रथाः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• निहताः: were struck down / destroyed
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-हन्
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• नागैः: by elephants
• नागैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अश्वाः: horses
• अश्वाः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• एव: indeed / also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• पदातिभिः: by foot-soldiers
• पदातिभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पदाति
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• हताः: were slain
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• elephants (gaja/nāga)
• horses (aśva/haya)
• chariots (ratha)
• chariot-warriors (rathin)
• infantry (padāti)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the brutal reciprocity of war: each military arm—chariots, elephants, cavalry, infantry—can dominate another, yet all are vulnerable. It implicitly highlights the fragility of life and the heavy moral cost that accompanies kṣatriya warfare.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra the chaotic clash on the battlefield: chariot-warriors cut down formations of elephants, horses, and chariots; elephants crush chariots; and infantry kill horses together with their riders.