Shloka 65

Śalya’s Objection to Sārathya and Duryodhana’s Conciliation (शल्यमन्यु-प्रशमनम् / Sārathyāṅgīkāra)

Devanagari script

निहतै: सादिभिश्लैव श्रैराहवशोभितै: । अपश्याम रणे तत्र भ्राम्यमाणान्‌ हयोत्तमान्‌

Transliteration

nihatyaiḥ sādibhiś caiva śrai rāhavaśobhitaiḥ | apaśyāma raṇe tatra bhrāmyamāṇān hayottamān |

Translation

三阇耶说道：“就在那战场上，我们看见许多骏马惶惶游走——它们曾在兵刃交击中以鞍饰与华饰增辉，如今却被斩碎毁坏，而它们的骑士也早已倒下。”

Word by Word

• निहतैः: by slain (ones)
• निहतैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निहत
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• सादिभिः: by riders/horsemen (lit. those who sit/ride)
• सादिभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सादि
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

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

• श्रियै: for splendor/beauty
• श्रियै: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री
• Form: Feminine, Dative, Singular

• आहव-शोभितैः: adorned in battle
• आहव-शोभितैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आहव-शोभित
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• अपश्याम: we saw
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 1st, Plural

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

• भ्राम्यमाणान्: wandering, roaming about
• भ्राम्यमाणान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भ्राम्यत् (भ्रम्)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• हय-उत्तमान्: excellent horses
• हय-उत्तमान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: हय-उत्तम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• battlefield (raṇa/āhava)
• excellent horses (hayottamāḥ)
• saddles / horse-gear (sādi)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the fragility of worldly splendor in war: what appears glorious in battle—ornament, equipment, and martial display—can collapse instantly, leaving only confusion and loss. It invites reflection on impermanence and the human cost behind heroic spectacle.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra what he and others observed: riderless, well-bred horses roaming the battlefield in disarray, their battle-gear damaged and their riders slain—an image of the aftermath of intense fighting.