Shloka 43
धृतराष्ट्र–संजय संवादः: कर्ण–घटोत्कचयोर्निशायुद्धवर्णनम्
Dhṛtarāṣṭra–Sañjaya Dialogue: Description of the Night Engagement of Karṇa and Ghaṭotkaca
चक्रैः प्रमथितैश्ित्रैरक्षेश्न॒ बहुधा रणे । युगै्योक्त्रै: कलापैश्न धनुर्भि: सायकैस्तथा
cakraiḥ pramathitaiś citrair akṣaiś ca bahudhā raṇe | yugair yoktraiḥ kalāpaiś ca dhanurbhiḥ sāyakais tathā ||
Śrī Kṛṣṇa bersabda: “Dalam pertempuran itu, kereta-kereta perang hancur beraneka cara—roda-roda remuk, gandar patah; kuk dan tali kendali pun tercerai. Tabung anak panah berserakan, busur-busur terbelah, dan anak panah menutupi tanah. Demikianlah medan itu menjadi saksi kehancuran yang lahir dari amarah tak terkendali—ketika kepiawaian dan keberanian lepas dari kendali, alat mulia pun berubah menjadi puing.”
श्रीकृष्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the tangible cost of war: instruments meant for righteous defense—chariots, bows, and arrows—become broken debris when conflict escalates. It implicitly points to the ethical need for restraint and right intention (dharma) even amid kṣatriya warfare, since violence, once unleashed, indiscriminately destroys.
Kṛṣṇa describes the battlefield scene: chariot components (wheels, axles, yokes, reins) are smashed and scattered, and weapons (quivers, bows, arrows) are strewn about. The line functions as vivid reportage of the battle’s intensity and the widespread wreckage.