Shloka 14
अभिमन्युवधः
Abhimanyu’s Fall and the Battlefield Aftermath
तस्यार्जुनिर्ध्वजं छित्त्वा हत्वोभौ पार्ष्णिसारथी
tasyārjunir dhvajaṃ chittvā hatvobhau pārṣṇisārathī
Sañjaya berkata: Arjuni (Abhimanyu) menebas panjinya, lalu membunuh keduanya—kusir keretanya dan prajurit yang bertempur dari belakang. Demikian ia mendorong pertempuran maju dengan tekad cepat dan tak berkompromi di tengah kerasnya dharma perang.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the severe demands of kṣatriya-dharma in wartime: identity and morale (symbolized by the dhvaja) are targeted first, followed by disabling the enemy’s mobility and support (charioteer and auxiliary fighter). It reflects how, within the battlefield’s code, decisive action is treated as duty even when it entails lethal force.
Sañjaya narrates that Arjuni (Abhimanyu) strikes down an opponent’s banner and then kills two key figures associated with that chariot—its charioteer and a rear-positioned fighter—thereby crippling the enemy’s capacity to continue effective combat.