Shloka 47
अध्याय ६० — कर्णस्य पाञ्चाल-सोमक-निग्रहः
Karna’s Suppression of the Panchala–Somaka Forces
तथैनं निशितैर्बाणै: सात्यकि: प्रत्यविध्यत । सारथिं च महाराज त्रिभिरेव समार्पयत्,महाराज! इसी प्रकार सात्यकिने भी उसे पैने बाणोंद्वारा घायल कर दिया और उसके सारथिपर भी तीन बाणोंका प्रहार किया
tathainaṃ niśitair bāṇaiḥ sātyakiḥ pratyavidhyata | sārathiṃ ca mahārāja tribhir eva samārpayat ||
Sañjaya said: In the same manner, Sātyaki struck him with sharp arrows, and, O great king, he also hit the charioteer with exactly three shafts. The scene underscores the relentless precision of battlefield duty, where a warrior not only confronts the fighter but also disables the support that sustains the fight—an ethically charged tactic within the harsh codes of war.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the uncompromising demands of kṣatriya-dharma in war: effectiveness and precision are prized, and disabling an opponent’s operational support (like the charioteer) can be treated as a legitimate tactical move within the brutal logic of the battlefield, even as it raises ethical tension.
Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Sātyaki counter-attacks by piercing the opponent with sharp arrows and additionally strikes the opponent’s charioteer with three arrows, aiming to weaken the enemy’s mobility and coordination.