Shloka 44
अध्याय ६० — कर्णस्य पाञ्चाल-सोमक-निग्रहः
Karna’s Suppression of the Panchala–Somaka Forces
उसी प्रकार रणभूमिमें कुपित हुए उलूकको सहदेवने रोक दिया। प्रतापी सहदेवने उलूकके चारों घोड़ोंको मारकर उसके सारथिको भी यमलोक भेज दिया ।।
ulūkas tu tato yānād avaplutya viśāmpate | trigartānāṃ balaṃ tūrṇaṃ jagāma pitṛnandanāḥ ||
Sañjaya said: Then Ulūka, leaping down from his chariot, O lord of men, swiftly went to the forces of the Trigartas. In the grim ethic of battlefield survival, when one’s chariot and support are destroyed, a warrior may abandon the vehicle and seek refuge among allied ranks—preserving life to continue the struggle, even as the scene underscores the relentless consequences of aggression and the swift retribution meted out in war.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a pragmatic aspect of kṣatriya conduct: when one’s immediate support (chariot and crew) is lost, a warrior may withdraw to allied ranks to continue fighting later. It reflects the tension between valor and survival within the harsh moral economy of war.
After losing his chariot situation, Ulūka leaps down from the chariot and quickly moves to the Trigarta forces, seeking protection and regrouping among allies.