Shloka 246
Daiva–Puruṣakāra Discourse and the Elephant-Corps Engagement (भीमगजानीक-सम्भ्रान्ति)
सध्वज: सह सूतेन जगाम धरणीतलम् | राजन! उस गदाकी चोट खाकर कलिंगराजकुमार प्राणशून्य हो अपने सारथि और ध्वजके साथ ही रथसे नीचे पृथ्वीपर गिर पड़ा
sadhvajaḥ saha sūtena jagāma dharaṇītalam | rājan! us gadākī coṭa khākara kaliṅgarājakumāra prāṇaśūnya ho apane sārathi aura dhvajake sātha hī rathase nīce pṛthvīpara gira paṛā
Sañjaya said: O King, struck by that crushing blow of the mace, the prince of Kaliṅga lost his life and, together with his charioteer and the chariot’s banner, fell down from the chariot onto the earth. The scene lays bare the stark finality of war—when prowess and duty collide, death comes swiftly once violence is unleashed.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the grave ethical weight of warfare: once violence is set in motion, life can end instantly, affecting not only the combatant but also attendants and symbols of status (charioteer and banner). It invites reflection on responsibility, restraint, and the tragic cost inherent in battle.
Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the prince of Kaliṅga, struck by a powerful mace-blow, dies on the spot and falls from his chariot to the ground along with his charioteer and the chariot’s banner.