प्राणग्लहोऽयं समर इष्वक्षो वाहनासन: । अत्र न ज्ञायतेऽमुष्य जयोऽमुष्य पराजय: ॥ १७ ॥
prana-glaho ’yam samara isv-akso vahanasanah atra na jnayate ’musya jayo ’musya parajayah
- prana-glahah
- life is the stake
- ayam
- this
- samarah
- battle
- isu-aksah
- the arrows are the dice
- vahana-asanah
- the carriers such as the horses and elephants are the game board
- atra
- here (in this gambling match)
- na
- not
- jnayate
- is known
- amusya
- of that one
- jayah
- victory
- amusya
- of that one
- parajayah
- defeat.
O my enemy, consider this battle a gambling match in which our lives are the stakes, the arrows are the dice, and the animals acting as carriers are the game board. No one can understand who will be defeated and who will be victorious. It all depends on providence.