Shloka 39
अध्याय ८८ — घटोत्कच-दुर्योधनयुद्धवर्णनम्
Ghaṭotkaca–Duryodhana Engagement
गदापि सा प्राप्य रथं सुचित्रं साश्वं ससूतं विनिहत्य संख्ये । जगाम भूमिं ज्वलिता महोल्का भ्रष्टाम्बराद् गामिव सम्पतन्ती
gadāpi sā prāpya rathaṃ sucitraṃ sāśvaṃ sasūtaṃ vinihatya saṅkhye | jagāma bhūmiṃ jvalitā maholkā bhraṣṭāmbarād gām iva sampatantī ||
Sañjaya dit : Cette massue, parvenue au char magnifiquement orné avec ses chevaux et son cocher au cœur de la mêlée, le réduisit en pièces. Puis elle s’abattit sur la terre tel un immense météore flamboyant, tombé du ciel.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the terrifying immediacy of battlefield power: weapons, once unleashed, can annihilate not only the intended warrior but also the supporting means (chariot, horses, charioteer). Ethically, it evokes the Mahābhārata’s recurring reflection that martial prowess must be governed by dharma, because violence spreads beyond a single target.
Sañjaya describes a mace flying into a richly decorated chariot and pulverizing it along with its horses and charioteer. After the impact, the mace falls to the ground, compared to a blazing meteor plunging from the sky.