Shloka 36
अध्याय ८८ — घटोत्कच-दुर्योधनयुद्धवर्णनम्
Ghaṭotkaca–Duryodhana Engagement
(जयद्रथो भग्नवाहो रथं तं त्यक्त्वा ययौ यत्र राजा कुरूणाम् | स सौबल: सानुगः सानुजश्न दृष्टवा भीम॑ मूढचेता भयार्त: ।।
jayadratho bhagnavāho rathaṁ taṁ tyaktvā yayau yatra rājā kurūṇām | sa saubalaḥ sānugaḥ sānujaś ca dṛṣṭvā bhīmaṁ mūḍhacetā bhayārtaḥ ||
Sañjaya dit : Lorsque ses chevaux eurent été abattus, Jayadratha abandonna ce char et se rendit là où se trouvait le roi des Kurus (Duryodhana), avec Śakuni, ses serviteurs et ses frères cadets. En voyant Bhīma, l’esprit de Jayadratha se troubla, ne sachant que faire ; la peur le tenaillait. La scène montre que, dans le tumulte de la guerre, quand le soutien se brise et que l’on affronte une force supérieure, le courage s’effondre, remplacé par la crainte et la confusion.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a moral-psychological truth of warfare: when one’s supports (here, horses and chariot-power) collapse, pride and aggression quickly turn into fear and confusion. It implicitly warns that adharma-driven alliances often rely on external props; when those fail, inner steadiness is absent.
Jayadratha, having lost his horses, abandons his chariot and retreats toward Duryodhana’s position, where Śakuni and others are present. On seeing Bhīma, Jayadratha becomes mentally bewildered and overwhelmed by fear.