Shloka 34
Nārāyaṇāstra-utpātaḥ — Aśvatthāman’s Rallying Roar after Droṇa’s Fall (द्रोणपर्व, अध्याय १६७)
ततस्तु समरे शूरो वृष्णीनां प्रवरो रथी । व्यश्वसूतरथं चक्रे निमेषार्धाद् युधिषछ्तिरम्,फिर तो वृष्णिवंशके शूरवीर श्रेष्ठ महारथी कृतवर्माने समरांगणमें आधे निमेषमें ही युधिष्ठिरको घोड़ों, सारथि और रथसे हीन कर दिया
tatastu samare śūro vṛṣṇīnāṁ pravaro rathī | vyaśvasūtarathaṁ cakre nimeṣārdhād yudhiṣṭhiram ||
Sañjaya said: Then, in that battle, the heroic and foremost charioteer among the Vṛṣṇis reduced Yudhiṣṭhira to a chariotless state—depriving him of horses, charioteer, and chariot—in less than half a blink. The episode underscores how swiftly martial prowess can overturn outward supports in war, even for a king devoted to dharma, reminding that righteousness does not guarantee immunity from the violent contingencies of the battlefield.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the battlefield truth that external supports—chariot, horses, and attendants—can be lost in an instant; dharma-oriented leadership must therefore include steadiness amid sudden reversals, and ethical resolve must not depend on favorable circumstances.
Sañjaya reports that the foremost warrior among the Vṛṣṇis swiftly disables Yudhiṣṭhira’s fighting capacity by stripping him of his chariot setup—horses, charioteer, and chariot—leaving him effectively chariotless within a moment.