Shloka 131

अध्याय ३: कृपस्य दुर्योधनं प्रति नीत्युपदेशः

Kṛpa’s Counsel to Duryodhana

Devanagari script

अश्वानन्ये गजानन्ये रथानन्ये महारथा:

Transliteration

aśvān anye gajān anye rathān anye mahārathāḥ

Translation

三阇耶说道：“有的斩落战马，有的击倒战象，有的毁坏战车——那些大车战士一心要在一切形态上削弱并瘫痪敌军的力量。”

Word by Word

• अश्वान्: horses
• अश्वान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्व
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अन्ये: others (some)
• अन्ये: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• गजान्: elephants
• गजान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अन्ये: others (some)
• अन्ये: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• रथान्: chariots
• रथान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अन्ये: others (some)
• अन्ये: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• महारथाः: great chariot-warriors
• महारथाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• horses (aśva)
• elephants (gaja)
• chariots (ratha)
• mahārathas (elite chariot-warriors)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a pragmatic battlefield ethic: warriors target the opponent’s means of mobility and power (horses, elephants, chariots). It reflects how kṣatriya warfare often focuses on neutralizing capability rather than merely pursuing individual duels.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes the chaos and intensity of combat in the Śalya Parva: different groups of elite fighters are striking down various components of the enemy forces—horses, elephants, and chariots—showing widespread, coordinated destruction on the field.