Shloka 36
Duryodhana-śibira-praveśaḥ — The Pāṇḍavas Enter the Kaurava Camp; The Burning of Arjuna’s Chariot
व्यंसनेनाश्वसेनस्य पन्नगेन्द्रस्थ वै पुन: । पुनश्न पतिते चक्रे व्यसनार्त: पराजित:
vyaṁsanenāśvasenasya pannagendrāstha vai punaḥ | punaś ca patite cakre vyasanārtaḥ parājitaḥ ||
ફરી જ્યારે નાગરાજ પર આરુઢ અશ્વસેન પટકાયો અને ચક્ર પણ ફરી એક વાર હાથમાંથી છૂટી પડ્યું, ત્યારે તે આપત્તિથી વ્યાકુળ થઈ પરાજિત થયો।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the fragility of martial power: when one’s supports (mount, allies) and instruments (weapons) fail—especially repeatedly—confidence and capacity collapse. It points to the ethical realism of the epic: valor alone does not guarantee success; conditions, fortune, and prior causes (karma) also shape outcomes.
Sañjaya reports that Aśvasena, riding upon the serpent-king, suffers another setback; simultaneously the discus (cakra) falls again. Struck by this repeated misfortune, Aśvasena becomes distressed and is described as defeated.