प्रविश्य तु रणे राजन् केशवः परवीरहा ॥
सेनामध्ये हयांस् तूर्णं चोदयाम् आस भारत ॥
ततस् तस्य रथौघस्य मध्यं प्राप्य हयोत्तमाः ॥
कृच्छ्रेण रथम् ऊहुस् तं क्षुत्पिपासाश्रमान्विताः ॥
क्षताश् च बहुभिः शस्त्रैर् युद्धशौण्डैर् अनेकशः ॥
मण्डलानि विचित्राणि विचेरुस् ते मुहुर् मुहुः ॥
praviśya tu raṇe rājan keśavaḥ paravīrahā ||
senāmadhye hayāṃs tūrṇaṃ codayām āsa bhārata ||
tatas tasya rathaughasya madhyaṃ prāpya hayottamāḥ ||
kṛcchreṇa ratham ūhus taṃ kṣutpipāsāśramānvitāḥ ||
kṣatāś ca bahubhiḥ śastrair yuddhaśauṇḍair anekaśaḥ ||
maṇḍalāni vicitrāṇi vicerus te muhur muhuḥ ||
Having entered the battle, O king, Keshava, slayer of enemy heroes, swiftly drove the horses into the midst of the army, O Bharata. Then, having reached the middle of that torrent of chariots, the finest horses drew that chariot with difficulty, worn by hunger, thirst, and weariness, and wounded again and again by the many weapons of warriors intoxicated with battle; yet still they traced varied circles again and again.
3ef19a22a158 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:52:56 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Here comes a turn: even the divine horses are 'kṣutpipāsāśramānvitāḥ,' worn by hunger, thirst, and weariness. The poem does not forget the mute laborers of war. It is significant that even a perfect path has the limits of bodily endurance. The verse teaches compassion for those who silently bear the burden of the work: even valiant horses grow faint, wounded; and true care remembers the silent servants — those by whose labor and suffering victory moves, but who themselves ask neither for glory nor for rest.