Shloka 82
Śalya–Bhīma Gadāyuddham (मद्रराज-भीमसेन गदायुद्धम्)
सा तस्य रथमासाद्य निर्मुक्तभुजगोपमा । जघान सूतं शल्यस्य रथाच्चैनमपातयत्
sā tasya ratham āsādya nirmuktabhujagopamā | jaghāna sūtaṃ śalyasya rathāc cainam apātayat ||
Sañjaya dit : Parvenue jusqu’à son char, elle—rapide et infaillible comme un serpent lâché—frappa le cocher de Śalya et le fit tomber du véhicule. Dans la logique impitoyable du combat, neutraliser le conducteur est un geste décisif : cela brise la mobilité et le commandement de l’adversaire, montrant que la guerre vise souvent les appuis du pouvoir autant que le guerrier lui-même.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a grim ethical tension of warfare: victory often comes by striking at enabling supports (like a charioteer), not only at the principal fighter. It reflects the pragmatic side of kṣatriya conduct in battle, where disabling an enemy’s capacity to fight can be treated as a legitimate, decisive tactic.
A female combatant rushes up to Śalya’s chariot and, compared to a released serpent for speed and lethality, strikes Śalya’s charioteer and knocks him down from the chariot, thereby impairing Śalya’s immediate fighting effectiveness.