Shloka 13
कर्णार्जुनसमागमः — The Karṇa–Arjuna Confrontation
Cosmic Spectatorship and Vows
रथैर्तताश्वसूतैश्व हतारोहैश्वन वाजिभि: । द्विरदैश्व॒ हतारोहैर्महामात्रैरहतद्विपै:
sañjaya uvāca |
rathair hatāśvasūtaiś ca hatārohāś ca vājibhiḥ |
dviradaiś ca hatārohā mahāmātrair ahatadvipaiḥ ||
Sañjaya berkata: “Wahai Raja, di medan laga, anak Pṛthā (Arjuna) menimbulkan pembantaian yang mengerikan dengan anak panahnya. Di suatu tempat kereta-kereta perang tersisa dengan kuda dan saisnya telah tewas; di tempat lain para penunggang kuda ditebas habis. Di beberapa bagian, para penunggang gajah terbunuh sementara para mahout besar tetap hidup bersama gajah-gajahnya; di bagian lain, gajah-gajahnya sendiri dijatuhkan sementara para mahout masih bertahan. Demikianlah, oleh panah yang dilepaskan dari busurnya, banyak kesatria-kereta tertikam dan roboh ke tanah.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the grim reality of war: even when fought as kṣatriya-duty, battle produces indiscriminate and uneven destruction—sometimes the mount survives while the rider dies, sometimes the reverse. It highlights the ethical tension between martial excellence and the human cost of violence.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Arjuna’s archery is causing chaotic devastation in the ranks: chariots are rendered useless by killing horses and charioteers, cavalry riders are cut down, and elephant units are disrupted with either riders or elephants being slain. Many warriors fall under the barrage of Arjuna’s arrows.