अर्जुन उवाच
मातले गच्छ शीघ्रं त्वम् आरोहस्व रथोत्तमम् ॥
राजसूयाश्वमेधानां शतैर् अपि सुदुर्लभम् ॥
पार्थिवैः सुमहाभागैर् यज्वभिर् भूरिदक्षिणैः ॥
दैवतैर् वा समारोढुं दानवैर् वा रथोत्तमम् ॥
नातप्ततपसा शक्य एष दिव्यो महारथः ॥
द्रष्टुं वाप्य् अथ वा स्प्रष्टुम् आरोढुं कुत एव तु ॥
त्वयि प्रतिष्ठिते साधो रथस्थे स्थिरवाजिनि ॥
पश्चाद् अहम् अथारोक्ष्ये सुकृती सत्पथं यथा ॥
arjuna uvāca
mātale gaccha śīghraṃ tvam ārohasva rathottamam ||
rājasūyāśvamedhānāṃ śatair api sudurlabham ||
pārthivaiḥ sumahābhāgair yajvabhir bhūridakṣiṇaiḥ ||
daivatair vā samāroḍhuṃ dānavair vā rathottamam ||
nātaptatapasā śakya eṣa divyo mahārathaḥ ||
draṣṭuṃ vāpy atha vā spraṣṭum āroḍhuṃ kuta eva tu ||
tvayi pratiṣṭhite sādho rathasthe sthiravājini ||
paścād aham athārokṣye sukṛtī satpathaṃ yathā ||
Arjuna said: "Matali, mount this finest of chariots first. It is hard to attain even by hundreds of rajasuya and ashvamedha sacrifices, unreachable by earthly kings, sacrificers, gods, or danavas. One who has not performed austerities cannot even see or touch it; how then could he ascend it? When you, worthy one, stand upon the chariot and hold the sturdy horses steady, I shall follow, as a man of good deeds sets foot upon the righteous path."
321e64d5b33a · published Jul 16, 2026, 4:51:20 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Arjuna's humility is visible even on the threshold of his own exaltation. He does not seize the heavenly honor for himself but enters it through order and respect for his guide.