Shloka 12
द्रोणनिन्दाश्रवणं तथा सात्यकि–पार्षतविवादः
Hearing the reproach of Droṇa and the Sātyaki–Pārṣata dispute
तस्मिंस्तु निहते चक्रे सूतजेन महात्मना
tasmiṁstu nihate cakre sūtajena mahātmanā
Sañjaya berkata: Ketika roda itu dijatuhkan oleh putra kusir yang berhati luhur, arah pertempuran pun berbalik—tanda bahwa dalam perang, satu tindakan penentu dapat mengguncang yang terperkasa sekalipun dan menyingkap rapuhnya kuasa yang bergantung pada alat-alatnya.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the contingency of worldly power: even a formidable warrior’s momentum can hinge on a single material support (a wheel). Ethically, it points to how outcomes in war often depend on tactical moments rather than pure merit, urging reflection on dharma amid violence.
Sañjaya reports that a wheel has been struck down/destroyed in battle by a great warrior described as the 'son of a charioteer' (commonly an epithet associated with Karṇa). This signals a critical turn in the combat sequence being narrated.