Shloka 91
अध्याय १४८ — कर्णप्रभावः, धृष्टद्युम्नस्य विरथता, तथा घटोत्कच-आह्वानम्
Chapter 148: Karṇa’s Pressure, Dhṛṣṭadyumna Unhorsed, and the Summoning of Ghaṭotkaca
हयाश्न पतितारोहा: पत्तयश्न नराधिप । प्रदुद्रुवर्भयाद् राजन् धनंजयशराहता:,नरेश्वर! राजन! घुड़सवार गिर गये थे और घोड़े एवं पैदल सैनिक धनंजयके बाणोंसे अत्यन्त घायल हो भयके मारे भागे जा रहे थे
hayāś ca patitārohāḥ pattayaś ca narādhipa | pradudruvur bhayād rājan dhanañjaya-śarāhatāḥ ||
Sañjaya said: O lord of men, O King—horsemen were thrown down from their mounts, and the horses and foot-soldiers, grievously wounded by Dhanañjaya’s arrows, fled in panic. The scene shows how superior skill in battle can shatter an army’s morale, turning courage into fear when life is threatened and formations break.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a recurring ethical reality of war: when violence escalates and casualties mount, fear can overwhelm discipline, causing even trained troops to flee. It implicitly contrasts steadfast kshatriya resolve with the human tendency to panic under extreme threat.
Sanjaya reports to the king that Arjuna’s arrows have inflicted heavy damage; riders have fallen, and both horses and infantry, badly wounded, are running away in fear—indicating a breakdown of the opposing force’s cohesion.