Shloka 22

Devanagari script

दुर्मुबस्य तु भल्लेन छित्त्वा केतुं महाबल: । जघान चतुरो वाहांश्षतुर्भिनिशितै: शरै:,तब महाबली सहदेवने एक भल्लसे दुर्मुखकी ध्वजा काटकर चार तीखे बाणोंद्वारा उसके चारों घोड़ोंको मार डाला

Transliteration

durmukhasya tu bhallena chittvā ketuṃ mahābalaḥ | jaghāna caturo vāhāṃś caturbhi niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Then the mighty warrior, with a broad-headed arrow, severed Durmukha’s banner; and with four keen shafts he struck down his four horses.

Word by Word

दुर्मुखस्यof Durmukha

तुbut/indeed

भल्लेनwith a bhalla-arrow

छित्त्वाhaving cut

केतुम्banner/standard

महाबलःthe mighty one

जघानslew/struck down

चतुरःfour

वाहान्horses (mounts/draught animals)

चतुर्भिःwith four

निशितैःsharp

शरैःarrows

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Durmukha

ketu (banner/standard)

bhalla (broad-headed arrow)

chariot horses (vāhāḥ)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a battlefield ethic where disabling an opponent’s chariot—by cutting the banner (morale/identity) and killing the horses (mobility)—is a decisive tactical act. It also reflects the grim momentum of war: prowess is measured by effectiveness, even as violence intensifies.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that a mighty warrior strikes Durmukha: first he severs Durmukha’s chariot-banner with a bhalla arrow, then with four sharp arrows kills the four horses, effectively immobilizing Durmukha’s chariot in the ongoing battle.