Shloka 37
भूरिश्रवसः गर्हा, प्रायोपवेशः, सात्यकिकृतशिरच्छेदः
Bhūriśravas’s Censure, Prāyopaveśa, and Sātyaki’s Beheading
त्रिषष्ट्या चतुरोअस्याश्वान् सप्तभि: सारथिं तथा
triṣaṣṭyā caturo 'syāśvān saptabhiḥ sārathiṃ tathā
Sañjaya said: With sixty-four arrows he struck down the four horses, and with seven he likewise struck the charioteer—swiftly and methodically disabling the chariot in the midst of battle.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the disciplined, step-by-step tactics of warfare—neutralizing mobility (horses) and control (charioteer) before engaging further—showing how skill and strategy can decisively shape outcomes, even amid morally fraught violence.
Sañjaya reports a combatant’s rapid sequence of shots: first the opponent’s four horses are brought down, then the charioteer is struck, effectively crippling the enemy chariot and shifting the balance of the encounter.