Shloka 6

Devanagari script

रथज्यातलनिद्वदिर्बाणसिंहरवैस्तथा । तौ रथावभिधावन्तौ समालोक्य महीक्षिताम्‌

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | rathajyātalanidvair bāṇasiṃharavaistathā | tau rathāvabhidhāvantau samālokya mahīkṣitām |

Translation

三阇耶说道：在弓弦震响、弓背击掌、箭矢嘶鸣与狮吼般的战呼声中，两乘战车直冲彼此而来。见那两车迎面疾驰，又见其旗幡相逼几乎相触，在场诸王无不惊叹。迦尔那之旗绘有“象链”之徽，而戴冠的阿周那之旗上，则有显现之婆那罗——哈奴曼端坐其上。

Word by Word

• रथज्यातलनिद्वदिः: the sound of the chariot-bowstring and the palm-slap
• रथज्यातलनिद्वदिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथज्या-तल-निद्वनि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• बाणसिंहरवैः: with the whizzing of arrows and lion-roars
• बाणसिंहरवैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण- सिंह-रव
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• तथा: and also/likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

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

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

• अभिधावन्तौ: running towards (each other)
• अभिधावन्तौ: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-धाव्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual, शतृ (present active participle)

• समालोक्य: having seen/observed
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-लोक्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund)

• महीक्षिताम्: kings (protectors of the earth)
• महीक्षिताम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महीक्षित्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Karṇa
• Arjuna
• Hanumān (Vānara on Arjuna’s banner)
• two chariots
• bowstring
• arrows
• battle-cries (lion-roar)
• banners/standards (dhvaja)
• assembled kings (mahīkṣit)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the kṣatriya ethos of direct confrontation and the moral weight of war as a public, witnessed act: the kings’ astonishment underscores how martial prowess, symbols (dhvajas), and reputation shape the ethical and psychological landscape of battle.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes Karṇa and Arjuna driving their chariots toward each other amid loud battle sounds. The onlookers marvel, especially noting the distinctive banners: Karṇa’s with an elephant-chain emblem and Arjuna’s crowned standard bearing Hanumān.