Shloka 23
भीमसेनस्य कौरवसुतवधः तथा श्रुतर्वावधः
Slaying of Kaurava princes and the fall of Śrutarvā
ततो दुर्योधनो राजा पृष्ठमारुह्म वाजिन: । अपाक्रामद्धतरथो नातिदूरमरिंदम:,इस प्रकार रथके नष्ट हो जानेपर शत्रुदमन राजा दुर्योधन एक घोड़ेकी पीठपर सवार हो वहाँसे कुछ दूर हट गया
tato duryodhano rājā pṛṣṭham āruhya vājinaḥ | apākrāmad dhataratho nātidūram arindamaḥ ||
Dijo Sañjaya: Entonces el rey Duryodhana—con su carro destruido—montó sobre el lomo de un caballo y se retiró de aquel lugar, sin alejarse demasiado. El instante señala una retirada táctica en medio del caos de la batalla, mostrando cómo incluso un soberano orgulloso debe ceder a las circunstancias cuando pierde los medios para combatir.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the realism of dharma in war: valor is praised, yet prudence is necessary. When the chariot—symbol of martial capacity and royal display—is lost, the king adapts and withdraws, illustrating that survival and regrouping can be a legitimate tactical choice even for one styled 'enemy-tamer.'
After Duryodhana’s chariot has been destroyed, he mounts a horse and retreats a short distance from the immediate danger, indicating a brief withdrawal rather than a complete flight from the battlefield.