Shloka 43
धृतराष्ट्र–संजय संवादः: कर्ण–घटोत्कचयोर्निशायुद्धवर्णनम्
Dhṛtarāṣṭra–Sañjaya Dialogue: Description of the Night Engagement of Karṇa and Ghaṭotkaca
चक्रैः प्रमथितैश्ित्रैरक्षेश्न॒ बहुधा रणे । युगै्योक्त्रै: कलापैश्न धनुर्भि: सायकैस्तथा
cakraiḥ pramathitaiś citrair akṣaiś ca bahudhā raṇe | yugair yoktraiḥ kalāpaiś ca dhanurbhiḥ sāyakais tathā ||
Śrī Kṛṣṇa sprach: „In jener Schlacht wurden die Streitwagen auf vielerlei Weise zerschmettert — durch ihre Räder, durch ihre verschieden gebrochenen Achsen, ebenso durch Joche und Zügel. Köcher wurden verstreut, Bögen zerbrachen, und Pfeile lagen umher. So bezeugte das Feld den Untergang, den ungezügelte Wut bringt: Wenn Können und Tapferkeit von Selbstbeherrschung getrennt sind, werden selbst edle Werkzeuge zu Trümmern.“
श्रीकृष्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the tangible cost of war: instruments meant for righteous defense—chariots, bows, and arrows—become broken debris when conflict escalates. It implicitly points to the ethical need for restraint and right intention (dharma) even amid kṣatriya warfare, since violence, once unleashed, indiscriminately destroys.
Kṛṣṇa describes the battlefield scene: chariot components (wheels, axles, yokes, reins) are smashed and scattered, and weapons (quivers, bows, arrows) are strewn about. The line functions as vivid reportage of the battle’s intensity and the widespread wreckage.