Shloka 573
भीमसेनस्य कौरवसुतवधः तथा श्रुतर्वावधः
Slaying of Kaurava princes and the fall of Śrutarvā
जीवग्राहमगृलह्नान्मां मूर्च्छितं पतितं भुवि । वहाँ दो घड़ीतक बड़ा भयंकर एवं घोर युद्ध हुआ। महाबाहु सात्यकिने मेरी सारी युद्धसामग्री नष्ट कर दी और जब मैं मूर्च्छित होकर पृथ्वीपर गिर पड़ा, तब मुझे जीवित ही पकड़ लिया
sañjaya uvāca | jīvagrāham agṛhṇān māṃ mūrcchitaṃ patitaṃ bhuvi |
Sañjaya said: “They seized me alive—taking me as a living captive—when I had fainted and fallen upon the earth. For a while a dreadful and fierce battle raged there; the mighty-armed Sātyaki destroyed all my implements of war, and when I collapsed senseless to the ground, he captured me without killing me.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even amid brutal warfare, restraint can operate: capturing an enemy alive rather than killing him reflects a choice that limits harm and aligns with a moderated sense of kṣatriya conduct.
Sañjaya reports that after a fierce clash, Sātyaki destroyed his war-gear; Sañjaya then fainted and fell, and was taken prisoner alive.