Shloka 23
Irāvān-nidhana-anantaraṃ Ghaṭotkaca-nādaḥ
After Irāvān’s fall: Ghaṭotkaca’s roar and the clash with Duryodhana
अश्वांश्वास्यावधीद् राजन्नुभौ तौ पार्ष्णिसारथी । सो<वसप्लुत्य रथात् तूर्ण गदां जग्राह सात्वत:,राजन! तदनन्तर चेकितानके चारों घोड़ों और दोनों पृष्ठरक्षकोंको भी कृपाचार्यने मार डाला। तब सात्वतवंशी चेकितानने रथसे कूदकर तुरंत ही गदा हाथमें ले ली
aśvān aśvāsyāvadhīd rājann ubhau tau pārṣṇisārathī | so 'vasaplutya rathāt tūrṇaṃ gadāṃ jagrāha sātvatāḥ ||
Sanjaya said: O King, Kṛpācārya slew the horses and the horse-keepers, and also both the rear-guard charioteers. Then Cekitāna of the Sātvata line leapt down from his chariot and swiftly seized his mace—choosing to continue the fight on foot despite the sudden loss of his chariot’s support.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
In the battlefield ethic of the Mahābhārata, resolve and presence of mind are central: when one’s support-system (chariot, horses, attendants) is destroyed, a warrior is still expected to uphold kṣatriya-dharma by adapting quickly and continuing the fight with whatever means remain, here symbolized by Cekitāna taking up the mace.
Kṛpācārya disables Cekitāna’s chariot by killing the horses and associated attendants, including the rear-guard charioteers. Cekitāna immediately jumps down from the chariot and arms himself with a mace to continue combat.