Shloka 37
स पार्थबाणाभिहत: पपात रथाद् विबाहुर्विशिरा धरायाम्
sa pārthabāṇābhihataḥ papāta rathād vibāhur viśirā dharāyām
Sañjaya said: Struck by Arjuna’s arrows, he fell from his chariot—his arms severed, his head cut off—down upon the earth. The line underscores the grim moral weight of war: prowess and pride collapse in an instant when fate and martial skill converge, reminding the listener of the battlefield’s ruthless finality.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the stark impermanence of life and glory in war: even a formidable warrior can be instantly brought down. It implicitly cautions against arrogance and emphasizes the grave ethical cost of armed conflict, even when fought under kṣatriya duty.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that a warrior, struck by Arjuna’s arrows, falls from his chariot onto the ground, mutilated—arms severed and head cut off—signaling a decisive, lethal moment in the battle.